It is starting to sink in that, in a few brief months, I will be packing up my things. The closer July gets, the more real everything becomes. It's a blessing and a curse, really.
On the very bright side of things, I received my ACT scores. I got exactly a 28! I may have gotten it by the skin of my teeth, but that stupid little number is worth a lot of money to me in regards to college. Now, I am eligible for that 100% scholarship to the University of Florida (UF) and will apply for it in May. I am so happy that now I can relax a little with financial needs, and my parents can cease getting gray hair working out their budgets. I still have a ways to go with earning scholarships. I'm working on two more big ones—summer semesters aren't covered in the Bright Futures scholarships and neither are things like housing.
Speaking of which, I am still waiting to hear back from UF about my housing assignments. I know they have to wait until the final decision to tell every student where they are assigned to live, but that doesn't ease my anxiety one bit. At UF, you are allowed to pick your dorm, your roommate, and what type of layout you want your room to be in; there are just no guarantees that you'll actually get what you request. I picked an Honors dorm for the summer semester with one of my close friends. I know, I know, everybody says never room with a friend, but the truth is, it's only for a month or so and it's comforting to know that I will (hopefully) have a support system when I start off. In the fall, I am rooming with another girl I know from my high school but we chose an apartment style dorm. The rooms are complete with a kitchen and a bathroom for every four people, with two girls in each room. It's a nice set-up; I just hope that I will get along with the other two girls sharing it! Not knowing where I'll live is really nerve-racking but I am hoping for the best.
In addition, I just signed up for my college orientation—UF Preview. Basically, new incoming students are required to attend a two-day orientation complete with tours, dorm assignments, and class registrations. I do not know a lot about it, but supposedly each student meets with an advisor where they are subsequently told what work loads / classes would be ideal for them. I am currently taking five AP classes, so a lot of my future classes will depend on how well I do on my tests this May. No pressure or
anything... it's just my future.
Successfully accomplishing a main goal—to help, if not completely, pay for college—is one of the best feelings about my college process so far. Now I can concentrate my energy on actually finishing out my senior year with a bang and not a flop.