Ok, so literally we all know that SCO does not spell family, nor will you even find the letters “s”, “c”, or “o” anywhere in the word “family.” This may seem like a silly introduction to a blog (and truthfully it is), but the topic of this certain blog post is anything but silly to me. This post is actually quite personal, and it may be the most important message I’ll ever write about being a student at SCO. You see, when coming up with topics for this month’s blog, there were numerous options to tell you what amazing things have been going on at SCO lately. I could have decided to write about how we have just welcomed 132 fantastic, enthusiastic new first year students this week to begin classes….or about how we are finally moved into the new state-of-the-art classroom and labs that have just been added onto the existing building….or maybe about how we have many students, including myself, getting ready to go to Washington, D.C. to lobby first hand with legislators on Capitol Hill about the laws dealing with optometry. Yes, all of these exciting things are going on at SCO, but over the past few weeks, I’ve personally been even more impressed than all of these things with the FAMILY atmosphere at SCO.
You see, a few weeks ago I lost my mother to her battle with breast cancer. Before I say anything further, I want you to know this is not a story about my mom, or my personal struggle dealing with something so difficult and school at the same time. Although she was the most amazing mother a girl could ask for, this post is not about her…or myself. This post is about my FAMILY at SCO.
So, onto my family…….
From the first time I walked into SCO as a prospective student, the hospitality was overwhelming. I’m a southern girl myself, so I somewhat expected the hospitality. However, after visiting a few other schools, I realized this is really what stood out about SCO to me. Over the past year of being a part of SCO I realized that there is even more than just hospitality happening at SCO…there is FAMILY. It seems as though everyone at SCO is working for the good of everyone else, which is not something you find too often these days. I think this is what gives SCO the family atmosphere. It is one of the most professional settings I’ve even been in, but also it is place where administrators go out of their way to help you, brilliant professors seem more like colleagues and friendly mentors than scary people looking to give you bad grades, and classmates from all over the country seem like people you’ve known for years and drop anything to do anything for you. For me, it’s an amazing feeling knowing that not only 130 of my classmates, but other classes, professors, administrators, and staff are there to support in any way they can. I am truly blessed to be a part of this family!
Optometry school is challenging, and it’s even harder when you are in a new place without a familiar support system. Even the best students will have days where they need help, support, encouraging words, or even just a fun study break. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has given me these things over the past year in their own way. So, I know this may seem like a random, silly topic to some, but the family aspect as SCO is something near and dear to my heart. It’s hard to put something so intangible into words, but I hope if you’re reading this, you can somehow grasp the type of atmosphere I’m trying to convey. Whether you are a visitor to the school or a prospective student, I hope you get a chance to come not only see what amazing things are happening, but also feel the support at SCO that can only come from FAMILY.
I know it’s not much, but I would like to dedicate this blog to everyone in my SCO family. With the loss of my mother and getting through school, I truly wouldn’t have been able to do it without you. This is more of just a thank you for not only everything you have done over the past few weeks, but for the help, support, encouragement, and joy you’ve given me every day since I started school last August.