GSP Proved Me Wrong

By Mac Kern

North Laurel High School, London

 

The weather was just beginning to warm up. It was midway through April, the week after Spring Break. My mother greeted me as I walked in the door. After I removed my shoes and placed my backpack on the floor, she handed me an opened envelope. I immediately knew that it had something to do with the Governor’s Scholars Program. I didn’t even bother looking inside. “Did I get in?” I asked.

            Two months later, I stepped into Frazier Hall at Bellarmine University in Louisville.  As I stood in a long line to get my GSP t-shirt and have my ID picture taken, I wondered how order could possibly be maintained in this place. As I looked around, I noticed that my preconceived idea of GSP was quite wrong. I didn’t see anyone standing in line with an ACT Strategies Study Guide. No one was peering at “War and Peace” through thick-rimmed glasses.  Everyone looked like…me.

To be honest, I applied for GSP because I wanted scholarships. After talking to some other scholars, I found out that many of them were there for the same reason. Many of the top universities in the state offer considerable scholarships to Governor’s Scholars.  I didn’t actually expect to enjoy the program. I didn’t think that I would find scholars who were interested in rock music or watching football games.

What actually happened at GSP was something totally unexpected. After a few weeks, I felt like I’d known some of the scholars for years. I met people who were so much like myself it was scary. I was constantly surrounded by people that I enjoyed being with. Every spare moment was shared with others. Countless hours were spent simply sitting in the dorm lobby and chatting. Although I often thought of home, I could not have been happier to be a Governor’s Scholar.

I found myself spending a great deal of time with several particular people, but I never quit introducing myself to others. Even during the last week of GSP, I made friends with many scholars.

 At the first community meeting, when GSP Executive Director Aris Cedeño said that all the scholars would form a tight-knit community, I laughed a little. “That’s just not my thing” another scholar told me later.

We were both wrong. As the final day drew nearer, everyone drew closer. Everywhere I went people greeted me by name. I even found that I was slightly sad when I thought about going back home. One night, while talking to my mom on the phone, I commented, “I wish all the scholars here were in my graduating class.”

GSP broke down more barriers than anything I’ve ever been in involved in. I became more willing than ever to listen to others’ opinions. Some of my closest friends at GSP had opinions that were drastically different from my own. I learned not to stereotype. I met people from many different backgrounds. The biggest thing I took from GSP is the friendships I formed with students from all over the state.

Five weeks may not seem like a long time, but when you spend every waking moment with a group of people for five weeks, you get to know them pretty well. I spent five weeks in the GSP community, with the people who would become some of my greatest friends. When I look back to the first community meeting, and reflect on who I was just five weeks earlier, I laugh a little.

 I didn’t think there was any way that such a close community could be formed in such a short time. GSP proved me wrong.