When I got that acceptance I felt like I could finally breathe. Like after everything I had been through physically and mentally, this was my win. I deserved this and I knew it.

But excitement and nerves have a way of showing up together. I was going from city life to the middle of nowhere, and I mean that literally. Limited places to go, limited things to do, and a whole lot of open space that I was not used to. That alone was an adjustment.

And then there was the diversity piece, or the lack of it. Being a person of color walking into a predominantly white environment is something that is hard to explain if you've never experienced it. It just feels off. Like you're always slightly aware of yourself in a way you shouldn't have to be. It's not always one big moment, it's just this quiet undercurrent that follows you around and you learn to navigate it whether you want to or not.

But I made a choice to find the good in it and the good was actually there. My mom bought a house which I become fully responsible for, which still feels surreal to say. I got to slow down enough to actually notice how genuinely beautiful nature is out there. And my class had some diversity in it, which made a bigger difference than I expected. Those familiar faces made the whole thing feel a little more like somewhere I could actually belong.

So I showed up. Nervous, proud, a little out of my element, and ready.