USD acts as ‘home away from home’ for students
As the school year comes to a close, students tend to reflect on what this past year has been like and the time spent here at USD.
As I’ve looked back, I’ve come to one main conclusion, and that is USD truly is one of the best universities in the Midwest. I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.
It wasn’t always this way for me — I came to USD this year as a transfer student from Coastal Carolina, a beautiful school with a location that allowed for many beach days at Myrtle Beach.
After awhile, I realized it was, frankly, too expensive and far from home. Because of this, I decided to transfer to USD for my sophomore year.
To be honest, I wasn’t as excited at the beginning. While I was looking forward to experiencing college with a few of my old friends from high school, I still had this thought in the back of my mind that said, “How could the University of South Dakota possibly compare to Coastal Carolina?”
But it did in more ways than I ever thought possible.
Being part of this university has given me so much more than multiple beach days ever could.
Coming to USD somehow made me push myself, made me get more involved and made me do everything I’ve wanted to do.
USD allowed me to join The Volante, to be a part of an amazing Media & Journalism program, to truly dive into my passion for writing and to share this passion I have with the world.
It also allowed me to join Alpha Phi and to become a part of the Greek community, to learn from a wonderful sisterhood and from the many friends I’ve come to make.
While people might say students have the opportunity to do these things at any college, I would have disagree.
To have amazing experiences depends on the college itself. It depends on the professors, on one’s peers, on the campus and its foundation as a whole. It depends on those who have a strong desire to make USD a great place for all.
This is something not all universities have.
I didn’t see it at Coastal Carolina, but it’s something I do witness at USD. This is the school I see myself falling in love with day after day and the school that causes me to have insane withdrawals after being away for even just a week.
Vermillion has become a second home to me and to many others. It’s a school that when you ask people how they like it, the answer is usually, “I don’t like it, I love it.”
USD has many graduates who are sad to leave because it’s a school that’s allowed for long-lasting memories and holds a piece of many students’ hearts. It’s a school that pushes everyone to go for their dreams and follow what they’re passionate about. It’s school that’s shown how much it cares for its students time and time again.
So this is my thank you to USD, for giving me the chance to fall in love with many things — to fall in love with my major, to fall in love with the friends I’ve made and to fall in love with the organizations I’ve joined.
I’m happy to bleed the colors red and white, I’m happy to be a Coyote and I’m happy I’ve found my home away from home.
