I have only been at The Pointer for one year. Through it, I found a thing I love, got to work with some of the best and some of the worst people and got over a phobia.
When I came to Point, I had transferred from a small private school in Massachusetts that was no larger than my high school, and I didn’t know a single person. I thought I was going to be a veterinarian then.
After taking chemistry I also discovered I have a passionate disliking for the subject, and dropped that minor.
Stevens Point has drawn out the best and the absolute worst in me, and I am grateful for every single experience.
I have worked hard to get A’s in courses I hated, slacked in courses I love, been blackout drunk in a bar I was too young to be in, fought, loved, lost and loved more.
It hit me recently that I have felt similarly about exploring campus and people and opportunities this last year as I did my senior year of high school. You know, when everyone seems to get along more than normal, and people get emotional about maybe never seeing that one annoying kid ever again?
Except this time, I went out on a limb to explore campus and as many things offered here as possible that scare me. When else will I have the opportunity to do this stuff?
How can I get over my debilitating fear of letting others read what I write? Apply at The Pointer.
What is there to do other than drink in a dorm or at the bars? Explore downtown when the sun is out.
What else can I do that scares me? Model for art classes totally nude. And even make friends with another model! Hey Bianca!
I even got my first tattoo in Point, a sleeve on my left arm that I love (I know, I know, go big or go home).
So, long story short, I have changed quite a bit in my time here, and I could not have asked for a better experience.
My best friends, the ones I may not get to see very much anymore but will keep in contact with for the rest of my life, I met in Smith Hall. The upgraded halls are overrated.
I don’t want to be deceiving, I had hard times here. I took a semester off after failing everything and I am a year behind because of it.
But it was and still is worth it. I met the love of my life here and cannot be happier as I enter the “adult world,” as I find myself calling it.
Long story not-so-short, I love Point. I wish I opened up earlier and had more time to submerse myself in it all.
That’s it.
Samantha Stein
Extremely Grateful News Editor
sstei173@uwsp.edu