Written by: Kaley Ferguson
It is the holiday season, a time to be thankful, and this year I am most thankful for the University of Arkansas, my new home. As a senior in high school, I had an incredibly difficult time trying to figure out exactly where I would attend college until I visited the U of A. Now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. The University of Arkansas has so many opportunities for students to grow socially and academically. My greatest experiences so far here have been because of my involvement in my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. I was initially worried about coming to a new school, a very large school, where I knew very few people. Pi Beta Phi has helped me to not only make lifelong friends, but also grow as a person. I have been given the opportunity to volunteer with many different, incredible organizations through Pi Phi. My favorite so far has been kettle bell ringing with the Salvation Army. Me and two or three of my pledge sisters bundle up and go to Walmart to spread Christmas cheer and raise money for an organization that does so much for the community, particularly around Christmas time. Not only did the University of Arkansas give me the opportunity to become a part of Pi Beta Phi, but it has also helped me to find out who and what I want to be, as cheesy as that may sound, it is true. I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I have always had a hard time trying to figure it out. I came to the University of Arkansas with a plan to go to law school after graduation. I was going to be a political science major, but now I am a Psychology, pre-med major. The academic advisors here at the University of Arkansas are incredible, and they helped me tremendously in finding my path. I honestly would have been so lost without them, and on a path that wasn’t the right one for me. Now I am in classes that I love, preparing for a life doing what I love. Finally, the University of Arkansas is a community. A community of people that as a student and graduate I will always have a connection to. I honestly had no idea that a college the size of U of A could be as close knit as it is. I am proud to be an Arkansas Razorback, to be a part of this amazing community of people, and I cannot thank the University of Arkansas enough for what it has given me. Woo Pig!
