So, it's been three and a half months since I've graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University and not a day does by that I don't miss my alma mater. Looking back at it, I had some of the most defining moments of my life at FGCU: my first kiss, my first real date, my first car accident, etc. FGCU has shaped me into the young adult that I am today and I thank it for all of the wonderful memories and friends it has given me. Here's a look back at the 10 things I miss most about FGCU, I get teary eye'ed just looking at it.
1. Chick-fil-A at the Cohen Center.
I'll never forget walking into the Cohen Center after a long morning of classes and getting a whiff of the heavenly scent that is Chick-fil-A. It always had my back when I had no food back at the dorm and I was craving something religious and potentially homophobic. Even though our Chick-fil-A was an express outlet, it still kept student's bellies full of waffle fries and chicken nuggets.
2. My amazing professors.
Because of the small size of the English department, I had many of the same professors and classmates for several of my classes. All of my professors were incredibly smart, inspiring, and insightful when it came to teaching us about classic British literature or manuscripts from the Medieval era. I always felt comfortable coming to them with my problems or any questions I had about my papers or tests. I really look up to them and aspire to be like them one of these days.
3. Being able to park on the other side of campus and still get to my classes on time.
So, it's pretty much well known that FGCU is a very small school. It takes me 15-20 minutes to walk from one side of campus to the other. The smallness of the campus was really comforting to me since big campuses can be really overwhelming. Also, it helped me meet a lot of my good friends since I see the same people almost every day in the halls and in my classes!
4. Community involvement at FGCU.
FGCU required students to get 80 hours of community service in order to graduate, and honestly, I did them with much enthusiasm. Nothing was better than giving back to the community that already had given so much to us at a school. It was always so heartwarming to see how thankful people were for our help, making me want to help them even more.
5. Exploring the area surrounding FGCU.
it was always fun to go out with my friends off campus for a night on the town. We always found ourselves walking the streets of downtown Fort Myers or seeing how the other half lives in Naples. There was always something fun and interesting to do around FGCU, we never had to go far in order to have a great time.
6. Late nights at my friends' dorms.
Because the dorms were relatively close to one another at FGCU, seeing my friends was super easy. Nothing was better than spending a late night at my friend's dorm, playing MarioKart and having deep conversations about the world. It was even better when food was involved.
7. The nature of FGCU.
Alright, so I admit: I'm not the biggest fan of nature. The last place you'd find me is waist deep in a cypress dome, sloughing through the murky water while avoiding any and all snakes and/or alligators. But, that's exactly where I found my self at FGCU. FGCU gave me a new appreciation for nature and the many services it provided our world. Whenever I do anything in my daily life, I try my best to act sustainably and take the environment into consideration before I do anything that could potentially be damaging to it.
8. The leadership of FGCU.
Our leaders at FGCU were always involved on campus and were aware of everything going on at all times. They were there in times of tragedy and times of happiness. They always put their students first and looked for ways to make the campus a better place to be.
9. The sense of community at FGCU.
Because our school was so small, it felt like everyone knew everyone. Students were always there for each other, even if they were. Whether it be telling them about an open parking space in one of the parking garages or offering some advice on which professors to take, we were always in this college experience together.
10. My friends.
Most of all, I miss the friends that I made at FGCU. Growing up, I didn't have many friends due to me being bullied a lot. I thought that I wouldn't have a lot of friends at FGCU either, but that turned out to be false. I made a plethora of wonderful friends at FGCU, some who stuck with me through all four years. It's so comforting to know that I have a whole network of friends I can reach out to whenever I feel lonely in the dark and cold world that is adulthood.
