The best decision of my life

While many college students were headed south to the beaches for Spring break, I was heading south for a different reason. Over spring break, I headed to the University of Arkansas to visit their graduate program. During my visit I was presented with the question of why I was interested in graduate school and why at Arkansas. Seemingly this should be a simple answer, but I found myself questioning how I had ended up in Fayetteville.  

To answer this question I had to first decide how I ended up at the University of Kentucky in Lexington for my undergraduate studies. This was a little easier to answer, as hindsight is usually 20/20. After high school I knew I wanted to attend college and to study animal science, with a goal of becoming a veterinarian. This goal changed, not due to struggles with organic chemistry, but changed over time with the many alternative options that were presented to me while attending UK.

I chose the University of Kentucky over several other schools for several different reasons. The first being the larger scholarship opportunities, which was an important part of my decision as my family could offer little monetary support. The second most instrumental characteristic of UK that led me to choose it was the appeal of the large university opportunities with the small family atmosphere in the College of Agriculture.

As my fourth year at the University of Kentucky comes to a close I have come to realize what I have managed to accomplish with the help of the faculty and staff at the University of Kentucky. In four years, I will have traveled to 13 states, 2 foreign countries, and completed an undergraduate research project. The professors inspired me, helped me, and guided me through what I will remember as the best time of my life.

It was these opportunities and guiding efforts that led me twelve hours away to Arkansas where I will be studying to earn a Masters of Science in Agricultural Economics.  So how did I end up in Fayetteville, Arkansas? I am there because of the education and experiences I gained while attending the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.  In less than one month, I will be graduating. I will sit with my peers and friends of four years as we accomplish one more milestone. Regardless of the struggles or successes we have experienced, my four years spent at the University of Kentucky has been one of the best decision of my life. 

- Hannah S.

 Hannah is a senior at the University of Kentucky, double majoring in Agricultural Economics & Animal Sciences.  She is from Winchester, Kentucky.  Hannah will be beginning her graduate school career in August.  She is a member of UK Block & Bridle, a past member of the UK Livestock Judging Team, and is a COA Agricultural Ambassador.  

Road Trip!

In case anybody is curious, the drive between Lexington, Kentucky and Champaign, Illinois is not short.  To make matters more interesting, my anticipated route was hindered by closed roads in Louisville, the possibility of epic traffic jams in Indianapolis because of the Superbowl, and rainy weather.  Although I was excited about being in Champaign over the weekend, I was not looking forward to the drive up. 

Thank goodness for a great friend who accompanied me on my drive!  Even in the rainy conditions and occasional traffic, we had fun on our miniature quest.  Our trip was marked by continuous conversation, a relatively painless pass through Indianapolis during the Superbowl (which was pretty cool), humored disbelief that every radio station seemed to be playing the same three songs over and over, and apartment hunting in Champaign.  Yikes!  It is hard to believe that graduation and graduate school are just a few months away!

Carrie & her fellow ambassadors prepare to throw out footballs during Roundup

As graduation in May approaches and my time as a Wildcat draws to a close, I have had some time to reflect upon the four years I have spent at the University of Kentucky.  When I was in high school, I knew I wanted to complete my undergraduate degree, to go on to either graduate school or a professional program, and to do a really good job in my classes.  These goals remained relatively unchanged over the course of my undergraduate studies, even in the face of obstacles such as diabolical classes that made me wonder if I was going to lose my sanity before I graduated from UK.  Yet, as a high school student I did not consider how much I would enjoy college.  The trip my friend and I made last weekend provides an excellent example of one of the things I enjoy most: spending time with friends and having a blast.

College is a great opportunity for many reasons.  As a student in the UK College of Agriculture, I love how my professors devote themselves to the education of their students, that there are plenty of opportunities to be involved in undergraduate research, that I have been able to travel all over the United States, that there are numerous extracurricular activities in which students can participate, and that I have met so many amazing people.  Ultimately, college is an exciting training and transition period between high school and a career.

So, in many ways, college is like a road trip.  You have to know where you are starting at, where you want to go, and the route you want to take.  When you are starting out, it may seem like a long ride to your final destination.  You may even encounter traffic jams and road blocks along the way.  But, I think most students agree that college is a fun and rewarding journey.  

Carrie is a senior at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Horticulture, Plant & Soil Sciences.  She is from Princeton, Kentucky.  She is involved with  the COA Agriculture Student Council, and post graduation, she will be attending graduate school in plant breeding and genetics.