I love my University in so many ways! Our President, Dr. Nido Qubein, sends all incoming Freshmen motivational books to read, which are meant to transform our daily lives in positive ways.
I took Dr. Qubein's Freshman Seminar class during my Fall semester and it was amazing! I love listening to him speak. He is so inspiring and cares so much for people and the world around him.
Although I am a Sophomore, I still look over those books every day. The book which provides daily quotes, holds special meaning for me, especially today's quote.
My real journey at HPU began after listening to Dr. Nido Qubein interview Chief National Correspondent for ABC News and Co-Anchor of Nightline Byron Pitts for a evening Speaker Symposium during my visit. He is also the Journalist in Residence at HPU and directly mentors students in the Communications department. Later that night after the interview, I submitted my Early Decision application to HPU and the rest is history.
When Bryon Pitts was young, he was unable to read and speak in front of others because he stuttered. He overcame those obstacles through positivity and hard work to become a successful multiple Emmy award winning journalist, speaking in front of millions nightly. When I heard Byron Pitts tell his life story, I began to feel like I wasn't alone for the first time and there was hope for me to pursue something that I loved doing. Later that night after my visit, I submitted my ED application to HPU and the rest is history.
Like Byron Pitts, I had fears when I was younger of not knowing how to act around others, speaking in big groups, and being afraid to branch out to things in life because of the fear of being made fun of.
You see, I was speech delayed as a child and overcame my own set of obstacles growing up. Overcoming those obstacles only made me stronger and shaped me into the person I am today. In high school, I went on to qualify for FBLA Nationals twice in Public Speaking and became a broadcaster for my high school TV station senior year. Now, I am a Communications major with a focus on broadcasting at HPU, and was chosen to mentor high school students in public speaking last semester.
Speaking out loud in front of people and writing, the things I feared the most and had difficulty with as a child, are now what I love to do and have since excelled at the most.
Overcoming obstacles are one of life's greatest lessons. I think that people who have had to work harder to overcome something can end up even stronger in what they once thought impossible.
No one is perfect and everyone has something that impacts their life. It is what makes everyone unique. One should never make fun of another person because of the way they talk or how slow they read or how quickly they understand a joke, for example.
The world would be a pretty boring place if everyone were the same. It is our differences, whatever they may be, that makes our world great! It is the strength we have within ourselves that leads us to overcome any obstacle put in front of us, and eventually makes us unstoppable.
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