She began to tell us of the fun night they had on Friday when she got there. They took the girls out to dinner and then to a movie.
Saturday morning after the girls got up, they were showed the campus they would be at. It was very small. Smaller than my daughter's Jr. High School was. It was in Spencer Iowa. The main college campus was 45 minutes away in Estherville Iowa. (The campus she would be at was composed of just the girl's and boy's soccer teams. They were the only college students that she would be associating with each and every day - all day long as well as practices and games.) This was disappointing to her as she thought she would have a real college experience.
The girls then played scrimmage games all day just to see how they fit in. She had a good time playing soccer (she loves it). After they had cleaned up and eaten some dinner the older girls that were there invited them to a party. This is where things took a turn for her. She had been listening to the music for about a 1/2 hour when someone put on some rather offensive music and alot of the kids started doing the dirty-dancing thing. She decided that wasn't the environment she wanted to be around and left. She was told that after she left the alcohol came out in force. I was glad she had the standards that she did and that she left.
Well, on Monday after a day to think about it, her mind was made up. When the coach called, she quietly went into her room and talked to him. She came out and said, "I can't believe I did that." I asked her what she was talking about and she said she had turned the scholarship down. She told the coach that it was just not the environment that she wanted to live in for 2 years.
She then went into her room, rummaged around for a minute and then showed me some scholarships that she had been offered by Utah State University, just over the hill from where we live. With those 2 scholarships and the one she can get from her father's work she can go there with her friends.
She is a totally different girl this week. She is more confident and happy. It seems like the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders.
I must say that I am proud of her for making such a difficult decision and all on her own. We told her that whatever decision she made, we would stand by her. I'm proud that she stands by what she believes in and lives it. I know it can be really hard at her age, but she doesn't seem to be bothered by trying to live with higher standards than the worldly ones that we are constantly surrounded by. As a mom I feel blessed to have such a wonderful daughter that is such an example to me!!
2 comments:
I am so proud of her. She has always been a good example. You are blessed to have her. And staying close has a lot of benefits as well. Far enough to grow a little bu close enough to visit and have support!!!
Jil, what a great story. So proud of sweet H, she is a darling girl. Love and miss you tons!!!!1
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