October 14, 2020

My transition to NKU was a unique one. I never thought I would be leaving my hometown to attend a university four hours away, that I had only seen twice. Once I moved in things were strange. It was hard meeting people and fitting in with all the corona restrictions. However, once my roommates all moved in things started looking up. Being weeks into my transition to NKU I am in love with my choice of school and friends that I have made. Playing soccer has given me a group of friends I can always rely on when needed. While being away from home is sometimes hard, I find the NKU community helpful to all the needs I have. I have not only found a great university for the next four years, but a home. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 14, 2020

The way college started out for me was not what I was expecting. Within the first month I struggled a lot and is still adjusting to college life. It’s been hard figuring out places for me to eat, study, and to meet new people. I feel pressured being in college because I am a first generation college student and most people that I grew up with didn’t make it this far. Coming from a low income family and living in a bad neighborhood, I didn’t think that college would even be an option for me. The people I grew up around never went and were either in jail or on the streets. Pride got the best of me in high school and not asking for help was a habit of mine but I decided to change that for college. Once I asked for help from my professors I got to know them a little and some have similar stories to mine. But it was an informatics professor who told me that college would be okay and benefit me. I had always chosen to major in media and dreamed of one day becoming a filmmaker and making my own movies. I thought to myself; if they can do it, so can I. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 7, 2020

I always thought that going into college wouldn’t be as fun, but my perspective changed so much. I have met so many new people which is so amazing. We all just have a great time together and even if I need help anything like studying for a test or homework I know I have other people who can help me. I’m a shy person so it’s hard for me to just open up quickly but also being in the ROCKS program has helped. Coming in that first week before school, it was so fun because I already knew people and had friends. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 7, 2020

I am the first of my family to officially go to college so my first couple of weeks of college were pretty stressful. I thought that in the future I might fail out or just barely pass my classes. As time has passed I’ve realized that it’s not so bad. If I stay with my work and keep pushing through I know that I can get through it all. Especially with the help of my boyfriend who cheers me on and keeps pushing me to do better. It definitely makes getting through these rough times in college a lot more enjoyable. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 7, 2020

My story is not mine alone, it’s of the people I met the people who have let me be myself. The first night at NKU was a ‘lil rough, but I had my friend Naty and I knew if I could break through that initial boundary of social anxiety I would be able to make good friends. Sure enough, the second day I introduced myself to everyone I could and started to make connections. On the 3rd day, Carlee, Caitlin, Naty, and myself were sitting in the J lounge and decided we would dye our hair. Right before we started I met Sabrina while she was walking around passing out cookies. Within the next few hours we talked about everything and anything. People came in and out but one thing remained, us. Even if this moment won’t last forever, the memories will, and those memories are becoming my story. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 5, 2020

I am the youngest of three and have a dog named Rusty. My whole life I have been surrounded by small loving communities. My grade school was a relatively small Catholic grade school in Southgate, Ky. My high school, Newport Central Catholic had around 250-300 students. If you’ve ever heard of a school where everyone knows everyone this one was it. My family is a big group or loud loving Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. Really what I am trying to say is at a first glance you might seem me as some loud guy from small schools, which I am, but what I really am is all of the experiences I have had and all of my memories. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 5, 2020

I’m the first one in my household to go to college, especially a university. Coming here was a big step for my family. I wish it was a more of a traditional college experience but it most likely won’t happen for a while. I grew up in a household where my mom always worked and I had to take care of my little brother while still going to school. Even though my parents weren’t strict I still didn’t want to do any of the things that other kids my age were doing. Hopefully in college it can be different for me than high school was and I’m looking forward to making new friends at NKU!. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

October 5, 2020

Growing up I struggled to cope with anxiety to the extent that I nearly lost all desire for the activities that once brought me joy. However, I refused to let anxiety define me, so I started seeking help for my condition. I found that recovery was a frustrating and extremely difficult task, but I was determined to overcome the hurdle that life had given me. It was a long process but because of my determination and hard work I can say I have made incredible progress. Today I am very outgoing and spontaneous, always looking to expand my horizons. My story is one that is marked by challenge; however, I hope that it shows others that they can overcome the things in life that hold them back just as I did. #nkustories #humansofgreatercincinnati

August 31, 2020

This summer was definitely a lot different than I anticipated it to be. The summer of our senior year is supposed to be the best summer of our lives; what I didn’t think would be happening was working 24/7 and having to wear a mask at graduation. I feel like it wasn’t really a bad experience though, it was a chance for me to meet some amazing new people at my work that I never would’ve met otherwise. In my free time, I have been going kayaking and using it as a way to get away from all things COVID-19, in times like these it is definitely necessary to find something that helps us escape and I’m so excited to be a part of such a great community at NKU during times like these. #humansofgreatercincinnati #journeytonku2020 #beanorse

August 31, 2020

This is a picture of the kitchen that I’ve been working in for the past 6 months. I got this job at the most uncertain time in my life, not only from the pandemic but my college decisions. When the pandemic began I didn’t have a job but I applied around and got a call and soon enough, I did. I’ve had jobs before but I’ve never enjoyed working as much as I have here and I will never forget the friendships I’ve made. Never in my life did I think I would love working a part time job and making pizza. During this pandemic going to work would be the highlight of my days and soon my coworkers weren’t just my coworkers but some of my closest friends. Although leaving my hometown is hard and leaving my coworkers is harder, I know now that no matter the situation there will always be a greater thing to take away from a bad situation and for me the greater thing from this pandemic was Big City Pizza. #journeytonku2020 #humansofgreatercincinnati