I was a timid child, quiet and obedient at all times. I had a naive way of viewing the world. Because my mother was so loving and supportive I tended to assume that everyone else was that way as well. Somehow I got through my childhood without being bullied or treated badly by either my peers or any adults. My world was rather protective and idyllic and made for a lovely way to grow into an adult save for the fact that I was not totally prepared for the realities of life. Somehow I knew in my heart that I had to venture out of my bubble and face the world as it really is so I shunned offers to attend private religious universities in favor of a large public university in my hometown. I eagerly applied for admission to the University of Houston because I believed that being there would better prepare me for the adult world that lay ahead.
The first thing that I realized was that with thousands of students there I would have to work hard not become just the number that served as my identification. I saw the anonymity of a large university as a way for me to reinvent myself as someone willing to be outspoken rather than a shadow lurking in fear that I might say or do the wrong things. I overcame my reluctance to raise my hand in class and to make appointments with professors so that they would know who I was. Mostly I began to write essays that honestly voiced my opinions, not just the ones that I believed would keep me out of the limelight or trouble.
It was a very freeing experience that allowed me to participate in discussions and debates. I met people from far away states with customs so unlike my own. I heard truths that had never before been part of my knowledge. I listened to Mohammed Ali speak about the war in Vietnam in the Cougar Den. I expanded my confidence bit by bit often with the help of professors who saw potential in me that I never realized was there. My worldview grew exponentially in ways that I might not have otherwise imagined.
I suppose that the same kind of things might have happened at any university that I chose but I needed to be among strangers rather than old friends who were going together to universities that recruited Catholic school girls. I wanted to evolve without anyone noticing that I was changing. Even though I did have friends at the University of Houston I rarely encountered any of them. Every class was filled with new faces and new possibilities for becoming confident in myself.
I have to admit that the maturing process was not always smooth going but even in difficult situations I learned that I was capable of asserting myself and setting things right. All the while the world of ideas was feeding my appetite for knowledge that had been heretofore unknown to me. I voraciously read the books and articles and essays that the professors assigned. I learned the intricacies of art, language, literature, psychology, geography, history, politics, mathematics and even physical activities. I went to street dances and athletic events and learned about the wider world from everyone that I met.
Along the way there were mentors who realized my potential and encouraged me to be a lifelong learner. They helped me to understand my strengths and my weaknesses and how to use my talents in ways that had a positive affect on society. I still think of them and the impact they had on me.
To this day I prefer to be an observer more than an activist but I know that sometimes I must step forward and I have the tools of speech and logic and information to state my case. Those are the skills that I took away from my time at the University of Houston. There I more closely became a citizen of the world just as my high school English teacher had encouraged me to be.
I have never looked back nor wished that I had gone somewhere else. I don’t know of another university that would have had as much impact on me as the one that I chose. The key to my success at the University of Houston lay in the quality and dedication of the professors who one by one offered me a personalization of my educational plan. They were open and ready for my questions and my musings. They managed to know that I was way more than that number that I used on all of my papers and tests. They were dedicated men and women who guided me into my life as an adult.
Of course there were other experiences that would shape me later. Being responsible for the health of my mother increased my belief in myself. Meeting a young man who shared my hopes and dreams and thoughts boosted my assessment of myself. Successfully becoming more and more independent showed me that I was ready for whatever came my way.
The day came when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I liked the person that I saw. That was a glorious moment that I have never forgotten. it seems that from that day forward I had no more qualms about being myself, a woman willing to keep expanding my worldviews. From the University of Houston I learned that knowledge really is power and I have never stopped reaching for more.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 