Cornell: perhaps the most adventurous of the chapters in my
story so far. I am now a Cornell University Summer College alum and I cannot
express how amazing it feels to be able to say that. I packed a bag and flew
across the country because I took a chance at what was the journey of a
lifetime. And that it was.
I am now back in the Bay Area, a completely different
person. A girl with a different perspective on what the world is and what it
has to offer. I encountered many of the greatest leaders from around the world,
learned about their organization and contributions to society, and made some
great friends along the way.
This summer I was given a chance. Everyone was on my side
and that was the most reassuring feeling. I was independent, on a completely
different level. I loved it. It was the best being able to do things on my
terms, what I wanted, when I wanted it done and how every day was going to
look. I was able to wake up every morning and look in the mirror and see my
eyes full of life from the rush of this new world I was experiencing.
The Ivy League, never in my wildest dreams would I have been
to even guess I would end up there. I’ve seen it now, I’ve seen the game, I
learned how to play it. I had to step outside my comfort zone to make friends
and speak up in class. I took out my own trash, walked down several stories to
do my laundry, I gave my all in Inspiring Leadership, and I’m so proud of
myself.
I brought back much more with me than a bronzed glow and a
piece of paper from one of the most prestigious universities. I now have a new
approach to my career, the organizations I work with, and the relationships I
have with those a part of my community. My goal now is to foster the same
community I had experienced, one of teamwork, hard work, diligence, and
responsibility. Seeing these outstanding youth, only inspired me to strive even
more for where I come from, to start small and not only help an organization
and vision grow, but grow with it.
I blinked and I’m back home, like I said I would be with a
great story to tell. I’m the same me, with a new purpose: to inspire, to create,
to grow. So for now, goodbye Ithaca, goodbye Cornell, goodbye everyone who
changed my life in ways I can’t even begin to describe. We’ll meet again,
hopefully soon.
Thank you ILC, for helping me live the dreams I had been
chasing since I was little, when I would envision myself in the future, before
the world was so big. I’m still that small girl, in a big world doing big
things. No one thought I could make it, so here’s to the ILCers who will go on to make a difference because someone invested in them, here’s to those who were
not afraid to make that investment. Here’s to the best summer of my life, and
most importantly here’s to myself. I would never have been able to do it
without the ILC.
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