I took a slight leap of faith (what? is this still Katie we're talking about? yep, i know) when I moved to Charlotte. While I knew my college roommate and some other sorority sisters would be living in the surrounding area, I knew no one in my immediate university area. I had no roommates, knew no one in my graduate program, had never been to campus, and sure as hell didn't know my way around Charlotte. I also had no money and no job. BUT, I did have a newly earned college degree that my parents spent a pretty penny on, and a few fitness certifications to show for my knowledge in exercise science. I figured, worst case scenario, I would move into somewhere by myself while my parents helped me pay for rent, work at the local gym, and go out to dinner with my college friends once a week or so. WRONG.
I ended up signing a lease with an apartment complex near UNCC that did roommate matching. Considering my track record with random roommates, I can't believe I did this again. But I guess this time luck was on my side. I ended up getting randomly assigned to live with 3 fabulous girls that have made my "Charlotte experience" more than I could have imagined. They welcomed me into their friend circle (which is very similar to my sorority and friends from Elon) and showed me around Charlotte and UNCC's campus. I will be forever grateful for that random match up because they have become good friends and are always up for a good time. If you guys are reading this, I love y'all...I can never thank you enough!
Next...a job. The only job listing on the National Strength and Conditioning Association's website (where my fitness certs are from) was located in Cornelius, NC. SO IRONIC. That's 30 mins away from my apt. So I interview for a job at Precision Fitness the day after I move my stuff into Charlotte. To make a long story short, I sweated a lot of bullets through the next week, but found out I got the job as a personal trainer. Compared to the pay at Elon's Campus Recreation...I was going to be rich (keep in mind, rich to me right now is having over $100 in my checking acct). I trained for about 2 weeks and learned more in that two weeks than probably my whole first semester of grad school. Since working at Precision, I have become a phenomenally better personal trainer, and I continue to learn more and more everyday from all of my coworkers, and sometimes even my clients. My work also builds upon what I am learning in grad school, and vice versa. I don't think I could have made that happen on purpose, even if I had planned it.
Back to the present. Now I am into my second semester at UNC-Charlotte (even though I saw myself going in a very different direction a year ago), and I am really loving the masters program I am in - Clinical Exercise Physiology. Great teachers and even better classmates. I have found though that being in a public school is very different from the Elon Bubble, student diversity and all aside. I really miss the easy transition Elon offers students into their school, as well as the convenience of the campus. (i.e. I have to park in a parking garage?! What do you mean $300 a SEMESTER for a parking permit???) Apparently we had luxuries at Elon that I was unaware of, and that everyone else in bigger schools has already been there and done that. Thank you, Elon, for spoiling me for 4 years.
On the flip side, I can't appreciate enough the education I received at Elon. While I felt that Elon was a healthy challenge, I now realize that many other people in similar programs at other schools were not expected to perform as we did. Elon, in general, and the Exercise Science dept. held the bar high, but helped us learn the tools to reach it. This is now all paying off now as I coast through grad school. Don't get me wrong, my grad classes aren't easy...but thanks to Elon I am already used to juggling a crazy schedule with high academic expectations. I've got to be a pro by now, right?
Anyway, so that's been the last few months in a (big) nutshell. I figured I'd start a blog to keep whoever updated on what's going on, without emails/facebook posts/texts, and also to selfishly give myself an outlet to tell my long-winded stories when Mom, Dad, Adam, Moira, etc. are tired of listening to them. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing a backspace button on my mouth would be extremely good for me and probably beneficial to all those who have to listen to me. Such a shame. ...krg
