"You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"
Dr. Seuss
Today is my first day here on campus!
I was given a warm welcome here with my dad at orientation on Thursday. It was a great opportunity to meet some of the staff and we made the Facebook page which was super fun. It was another fun father, daughter drive to get out here which was a great opportunity for us to talk about the new journey that I am about to embark on. College is something that even starting high school I never saw myself going to because I was too attached to home. However, here I am embarking on this new adventure.
Starting school at an HBCU we were all a bit nervous before we saw what it is really like. It was reversed roles and I became part of the minority. I stand out like a sore thumb visually and sometimes I feel a look here or there but I haven't yet felt a moment where I wasn't welcomed. Orientation proved this to my dad when they assured him from all sides that I would be ok. It isn't simply at school where I have felt accepted but also in the area where countless alumni live. In stores and at Starbucks I have been given greetings and welcomes and it has been so fun to experience it.
When I moved in yesterday it was such a relief to know that nothing had to be put back into a suitcase and I had the freedom to be truly comfortable not just functional. Our dorm rooms are decent sizes which makes it so nice to be able to bring everything that I needed and some things that I just wanted. This wasn't the case when I was traveling around. It will be an adjustment to live with other girls, it has been relieving to know that they are all nice and super cool which makes it easier. I did realize something new. . . After I dropped my father off I realized that though I may be thousands of miles closer to home I am feeling more homesick than when I was overseas. I am not new to having to adapt to situations that may throw me out of my comfort zone, I am very new to where I am now. These couple of days when I am adapting, finding my way around, and meeting new people will be uncomfortable, I am prepared for that but I am excited for what comes after!
SPOTLIGHT!
This week I wanted to spotlight something that has happened in the UK..
I've been meaning to write about this for a while now. . .
If you haven't heard already, starting January 1st, 2024 there has been a new law put on and against XL bully breeds of dogs. In England and Wales, it is now illegal to breed, sell, rehome, or abandon. If you own an XL bully then they are not allowed to go outside of the house without being on a leash and having a muzzle, this includes vehicles. Starting on February 1st, 2024 it will be illegal to own an XL bully without an exemption. (For more information go to https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/wellbeing-and-care/xl-bully-ban-explained)
Thousands of dogs have already been euthanized and thousands more are scheduled to be next. Thousands of innocent dogs were bred to be man's best friend and now are being mercilessly murdered every day for simply being who they are. It is our job to protect them and the ones who are being killed first are the ones who have already been abandoned before. Sheltered, stray, and homeless dogs were the first to be killed and now the government is offering to pay people to put their best friends down. It is wrong on so many levels! Help the XL bully dogs and their owners fight for their right to live as they should be. Dogs with loving families, warm homes, and tons of love. Blame the owner, not the dog, and never blame the breed.
To donate click the link below. It is a nonprofit who are using donations to hire lawyers and teams to fight the government and try to lift the ban before it is too late! Save the dogs and STOP BULLYING THE BREED!
Go Zoe!! Congrats on college!! You will do great! So proud of you!! Love Uncle Bobby xoxo