Jennie T.

Photography by Alyse Stauffer

If you’re reading this, don’t be afraid to grow into your true self.

I think the relationship between change and growth is interesting. For the most part, people associate growth with a positive light—it has a forward trajectory. Change, on the other hand, carries more mixed feelings. Some changes can be good, but some can be quite devastating. Change can help you move forward, or it can push you backward. Change can honestly be scary, yet, I strongly believe it is change that truly allows you to grow. 

I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and I was surrounded by the same group of people for a majority of my life. My childhood friends and I went to the same school from elementary to high school, and I felt really lucky to have the same friends for over ten years. There was so much I experienced with them, and many of my core childhood memories are with them. In the blink of an eye, we went from tiny middle schoolers with little care in the world to high school seniors shouldered with the decision of where to go for college. Most of my friends knew they wanted to go to LSU right away or at least stay in-state. When I thought about where I saw myself for college, I knew there was so much I wanted to experience and achieve that I couldn’t find in Louisiana. Deep down inside, I knew I needed to leave the city in order for me to truly grow and discover myself. 

It was a scary decision to move from Louisiana to New York by myself, and in the beginning, I really wanted to go back home. I would see how all my friends were still together while I was alone. They were making fun memories while I felt so lost in my new space, but I’m truly thankful that I decided to stay at NYU. With time I was able to start achieving those goals of mine, and my college experience started to really shape me into the person I aspire to be. I started living a life for myself. 

I was talking to a friend recently about bravery, and she noted how much bravery we had to make the decision to move so far for college. I realized I never looked at my choice with that perspective, and now reflecting back, I am proud that I was brave enough to willingly accept change. That choice to change directly led to the growth I needed to become closer to my true self. Change is still scary to me, but I’m starting to welcome it more into my life because maybe I’m a lot more brave than I think.

Jennie T., New York University

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