Hey y’all, Alex here! I hope you & your family have been staying safe throughout the past few weeks! I’ve missed you all dearly and I am THRILLED to continue writing blog posts and sharing my Furman story. As April begins and May 1st quickly approaches, I thought that I would share my own personal “why Furman” story for all of you who are deciding where to spend the next four years of your life!
Just like many of you, my senior year of high school was packed full of college road trips, emails from schools, ample research and Google searches, and plenty of letters and postcards encouraging me to apply to different institutions, all of which promised me an unparalleled, life changing four years. Normally, I would ruffle through the mail and toss it in the recycling bin without much of a second glance– that is until I saw a postcard from Furman with a huge waffle on it. Yes, the fluffy, delicious breakfast food that is a staple in many households. I stood in our kitchen suddenly craving my favorite breakfast food while reading the postcard, curious about this new school. Ultimately, I decided it was a sign and ran into my parent’s room to excitedly share that I had added another school to my list! A few hours later, my family and I had booked our flights and a hotel, ready for a spontaneous weekend trip to Greenville. When I stepped on campus, I got the “ feeling” that everyone talks about. The one where you stand in the middle of campus and feel warmth bubbling in your chest, sure that you’ve found your home. My mom and I toured several other colleges, but I always compared the schools to Furman. On our last tour in February of my senior year, which happened to be my mom’s Alma Mater, she looked at me teary eyed and said, “Alexandra, I know your heart is at Furman. You absolutely belong there.” She and I both knew that I had found my place and I haven’t looked back since.
Besides the emotional feeling I experienced on my tour, one of the many reasons that led me to choose Furman University was its commitment to offering high impact opportunities both inside and outside the classroom resulting in deep and meaningful engagement. That being said, Furman’s emphasis on providing internships, research projects, meaningful faculty connections, and study away experiences for students set it apart from others. Throughout my first three semesters, I have been fortunate enough to have many experiences that contribute to the multifaceted education Furman proudly advertises, from performing in a masterclass in front of faculty and peers to leading groups of incoming students throughout their orientation process.
Although the first thing that grabbed my attention was a bright purple postcard with a huge waffle on it, I left my tour with so much more: an overwhelming sense of joy and giddiness knowing that I had found a place where I would be comfortable yet challenged, given opportunities to be the best version of myself, and benefit from an overwhelming sense of home and family.
This was my first time seeing the pretty fall leaves change in SC! 
This was my first time at Tandem! YUMMM 
My sweet momma and me at my grad party! Had to rep purple for the dins!
As you continue to take steps in your college process, know that I am here to chat and will be thinking of you through it all! I hope y’all continue to stay healthy and happy as we all navigate a new normal.
Have a happy week!
Alex