Barrett: A Game Changer

by

Taylor Nelson

College, thus far, has been… an experience. Some of it has been tough, but a lot of it has been really great. And I attribute a lot of the greatness that I have experienced to being a part of Barrett, the Honors College.

I was a social butterfly in high school. Volleyball, marching band, choir, NHS, broadcasting and the senior video… you name it, and chances are I was probably involved with it in some way, at some point.

For some reason, coming to college changed that. I was suddenly a lot shyer and much more reserved. I was out of my comfort zone, and that was intimidating.

That’s where Barrett really became a blessing in my life.

You don’t have to be best friends with everybody to always have something to talk about in the elevator, be it Human Event or the really delicious cookies we got on the first day of classes or how, exactly, you pronounce the word “houyhnhnm.”

The sense of community that I have found with B-town D-town has really helped me break out of the shell that I, apparently, formed somewhere between high school graduation and Taylor Place move-in day. Now, through my involvement with Honors Devils and the many community events that Barrett plans, I feel like I belong. I’m still stretching my wings a bit, maybe, but that’s okay, because the Barrett downtown community is a fantastic place to do so.

On top of the personal perks, Barrett offers so many academic opportunities that are so, incredibly beneficial. Trust me, you won’t realize just how nice free printing and early registration are until you make some friends who don’t get those privileges. Also, I have come to the conclusion that if you can write an essay for Human Event, you can write an essay for practically any other class. You will also, undoubtedly, learn how to argue, and very well, at that. (And if you’re stubborn, like me, you’ll find that this newfound ability to support any argument comes in handy.)

It’s probably really cheesy and somewhat cliché to say that Barrett changed my life, but I think it did. If I hadn’t been a part of Barrett this year, I know that I would have had a much different freshman experience. My mother may have pressured me into applying to the honors college, but without a doubt, it was one of the best college decisions I could have made.