Semester of Frustration

At the end of the spring semester at Western, I dreamed of all the wonderful things I would accomplish at UNC-Greensboro.
I would be closer to Stuart and our relationship would flourish. Instead, I'll be honest... we've been having problems. I didn't think we'd make it to our one-year anniversary on October 7th and again, I didn't think we'd see the end of this week. In fact, I knew we wouldn't see the end of this week together. Somehow, it worked out but the hurt feelings are still there.
I would continue to pursue my journalism dreams by working on The Carolinian, which is a nice paper but doesn't come close to the caliber of The Western Carolinian. I dropped down from News Editor to staff writer, which I was knew was coming but still it hurt. I miss Justin and his managerial skills. The Western Carolinian staff was close... at least I met all of them! We were small and we were together battling the Communications department. Justin was the crazy captain a journalist could only hope of having. He was open to ideas, had his writers' backs, and knew how to fight injustice. I haven't even met the Editor-in-Chief of The Carolinian!

Home of The Western Carolinian

Then, there were my studies. I was so excited about starting in the UNCG English program. Well... that was a flop! My teachers have been horrible! One woman gives us a speech on racism every single day, one woman flits about from one topic to another and never teaches us anything, and the other doesn't speak English and cannot get her point across clearly. Another class I withdrew from because I was doing horribly in it and it won't apply to my degree except for credit hours. In American Authors, I made an "F" on my midterm... I was shocked! The professor, the one that goes on about racism, gave me a 0 on my essay! My entire two-paragraph essay received a ZERO!! Today, I looked over at one of my classmates and asked him if he liked the class. He laughed before answering, "NO! I almost asked her today if she was drunk because she wouldn't shut up!" This semester, I only have ONE professor who inspires, encourages, and motivates me to stay in college, keep up my grades, and to straight up learn! "Dr. Brit" is the only teacher I wouldn't outright ask to be fired on the spot because he honestly cares for his students, makes his material interesting and informative, and doesn't shut out ideas that aren't his own like the three female professors I have. As a matter of fact, last semester I also had only one inspiring professor. "Powerful Peter" taught Intro to Acting, a course I took for credit hours and for my love of theater. He was so convincing and inspiring that I nearly switched my major to Film Studies or Theater on the spot! I wanted to continue taking his classes and I wanted to continue to explore a subject I love so passionately! Especially if Peter was the one teaching it!

I'm disappointed in myself for quitting on Western Carolina so easily. The truth was I was running from my mistakes, the mistakes that continue to haunt me even in Greensboro. I had thought they wouldn't affect me as much as they did in Cullowhee, and maybe they wouldn't have if I hadn't reconnected with The Viking. We're talking again when I never thought we'd be able to. Having him back in my life is beyond confusing but at the same time comforting. I finally get to ask the questions I've always wanted to and never thought I'd be able to ask. I was also running to something... someone. Stuart. I tried to get as close to him as I could. NC State is no place for me, but I hoped that UNCG might be. Now with the relationship holding on by a thread, I realized something very important, something I'm trying to fix.

I made a mistake. I'm really a Catamount at heart.