The AHA moment!

In honor of closing out our homecoming week, I want to tell you all about a specific moment…

AHA!

If you’ve participated in any college tours thus far, you might have heard of the “AHA moment.” This is the moment when you just KNOW that a school is the right place for you; at this moment, it just feels right. Many have tried to quantify this feeling, and it’s honestly pretty difficult to do. You might be on tour, talking to a current student, or even daydreaming during the car ride home. Then, it hits you: the moment. This connection with a university is wonderful, and I’ve seen many students have their AHA moments. Now, let me tell you about mine…

My Moment

Long long ago (in 2019), I toured Furman for the first time. I grew up about thirty minutes from Furman in the town of Easley, so this wasn’t the first time I had been on campus. So, when I attended Fall for Furman it felt a little strange. I mean, I had been here many times; this meant that I had seen everything I needed to see, right? Wrong. I had spent most of my time visiting McAlister Auditorium and performing dance recitals, so I had never walked around campus and experienced the atmosphere for myself. I didn’t realize how much I was missing. We walked around the lake, saw a dorm in South Housing, talked about the extraordinary cookies in the DH, and more. After the tour, we all went to the student tailgate.

I remember sitting at a table with my mom, eating southern-style cooking. Many thoughts were crossing my mind because, honestly, I was really torn up about the college search process. I had worked so hard throughout school, and I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to find the place where I belonged; I applied to fourteen different universities if that tells you anything! As I was deep in thought, someone spoke to me; I snapped back into reality. A Furman student had approached our table and sat down. She began talking to me and genuinely seemed interested in my responses; it wasn’t necessarily what we talked about that made me feel good, it was the way in which we talked. I somehow knew that I would be loved, listened to, and supported here at Furman. So, it hit me: my AHA moment. It wasn’t anything big. No confetti cannons, streamers, or fireworks went off. But, I felt at home. 

The Little Things are BIG

For me, all it took was a simple conversation. I’m reminded every day why I chose Furman as my home, and I wouldn’t take it back for the world. Each day, one of my friends, professors, or mentors will say something or do something that makes me feel loved and supported like you couldn’t imagine. For example, I get a text from one of my closest friends at Furman–who I met my second semester of freshman year–every once in a while. It usually says something like “hey, I hope you’re having a good day. I just want to remind you that I appreciate you, and I’m happy you’re part of my life.” Come on! My heart melts every time! It really is in the little things, and all the little things that make me feel loved combine to make Furman’s support system BIG! 

Sharing my Home

Last weekend, we had our first Fall for Furman admissions event for the year! This was absolutely a full-circle moment for me. I gave a tour to five families, and these students were standing in the same position I stood two years ago. So much has happened since, but I still have those AHA moments each day. At the tailgate, I got to have conversations with prospective students (like you!), and I got to explain why Furman is my home. All in all, look for the AHA moments, but also look for the little things that make you feel comfortable and accepted at a university. Look for the conversations and the support system that fill you with love.

Make every day full of these moments. 

Furman is my home, and these people have all my love!

I hope I’ve shared a little of this love with you all.

 

Talk to you guys again soon <3

– Logan