How My Decision Led Me to Pirate Country
Growing up in Fayetteville my entire life almost everyone in my family went to Fayetteville State University, so when it was almost time for me to graduate high school I knew that wasn’t a place that I could see myself getting an education. It felt like I had been going there for years. I already knew where every building was, I went to every homecoming game, and someway somehow I knew most of the administration. I kept telling my family that I didn’t want to go to FSU and how I wanted to go to a different school outside of Fayetteville. How I started thinking about East Carolina wasn’t through a college search or a school counselor, but it was the graduating class before me: Class of 2011. It seemed like everyone was choosing East Carolina and I wanted to know why. So that is when I started on my quest of looking into programs at ECU.
I knew I wanted to become a teacher so imagine my surprise when I found that East Carolina was originally a Teachers College. Fast forward the next few years after I graduated high school and I started taking classes at the community college in Fayetteville, my mind hadn’t been changed. I was still stuck on attending East Carolina so I decided to do a transfer tour one day with my dad. As soon as I stepped foot on campus I knew for sure that this was the place for me.
Two of my friends and I at my first Pirate Palooza!
So my transition from community college to a 4-year institution was super easy in my opinion. After the first week or so I went to a bunch of interest meetings for clubs and organizations and that’s how I found the Student Activities Board. From there I joined the Films and Entertainment committee and then about a month after that I applied to be a Pirate Navigator for the Admissions office. At first it may seem a little intimidating to put yourself out there to make friends, but it’s the best reward ever. Through joining activities and organizations I have made some of the best relationships. I’ve met my two roommates that I’ve lived with for the past year and a half and I’ve met people from all around the world.
Enjoying some Pirate football!
Transferring to a new place can be scary, but here at East Carolina they have so many different options that can help you through the process. For example, if you choose to live on campus there is QUEST, where you live in the Living Learning Community with other transfers, or you could take a First-Year Seminar which is offered for students transferring to ECU. Through all the opportunities here at the University my transition along with yours should be stress-free.
Doesn’t matter when you start school. You could be eighteen or twenty-seven, here at ECU that doesn’t matter because we’re all Pirates and Pirates stick together. ARRRGH!
