This post is part of a 3-part mini-series. It might make more sense to you, if you start at the beginning.
At the end of the previous post, I wrote that I had decided I would attend Henderson State University (HSU) or Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) without knowing ANYTHING about either. Of the two, OBU was the one I focused on from the very beginning because it would provide a Christian-based education.
I had grown up in the Presbyterian Church and, at this juncture in my life, my faith was very important to me. I was aware of the party-like lifestyle that seemed to typify many college environments and I simply wasn't interested in that. As a loner, I wanted to attend a college in which I both could spend time learning about the world around me and deepening my faith. OBU seemed to fit the bill to a tee.
In the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I made my official visit to OBU. My planned major was journalism and I met the chair of that department, Dr. William Downs (a man who has had a major impact on my life as a man AND a writer). He showed me around campus and talked about the journalism major curriculum. I was completely sold!!!
Yes, I was going to OBU, no qualms about it...until a few weeks later when I received more information from the school. To my absolute horror, I discovered that freshman and sophomore males were required to take ROTC. As a devout pacifist, there was no way in the world I would even consider taking ROTC. Oh my gosh, what ever will I do?
And then I discovered the loophole. Juniors who transferred in did not have to meet this requirement. So, while it meant putting off for two more years my opportunity to spend quality time in my most favored place, I attended two different schools around my hometown, Kansas City, MO.
Between my freshman and sophomore year of college, my mother and brother moved to Hot Springs. My divorced mom had just completed her master's program in social work and decided she wanted to return to her roots. I lived with my dad while I finished up my ROTC-dodging sophomore year and then moved back in with my mom in Hot Springs at the beginning of summer.
My mom's move was very fortuitous for me. Though I didn't yet know I was autistic, I was very aware that there were some very strange things about this fellow called me. While my initial plan was to live in a dorm at some point in college, by this juncture, I knew that wouldn't be a very good idea at all. Living in such close quarters with other people -- non-family members at that! -- would have sent me into stress overload and I'm sure would have set off one panic attack after another. Consequently, my mother's move allowed me to attend OBU without the addition of undue stress.
In my next post, I'll discuss my interesting experiences at OBU.
At the end of the previous post, I wrote that I had decided I would attend Henderson State University (HSU) or Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) without knowing ANYTHING about either. Of the two, OBU was the one I focused on from the very beginning because it would provide a Christian-based education.
I had grown up in the Presbyterian Church and, at this juncture in my life, my faith was very important to me. I was aware of the party-like lifestyle that seemed to typify many college environments and I simply wasn't interested in that. As a loner, I wanted to attend a college in which I both could spend time learning about the world around me and deepening my faith. OBU seemed to fit the bill to a tee.
In the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I made my official visit to OBU. My planned major was journalism and I met the chair of that department, Dr. William Downs (a man who has had a major impact on my life as a man AND a writer). He showed me around campus and talked about the journalism major curriculum. I was completely sold!!!
Yes, I was going to OBU, no qualms about it...until a few weeks later when I received more information from the school. To my absolute horror, I discovered that freshman and sophomore males were required to take ROTC. As a devout pacifist, there was no way in the world I would even consider taking ROTC. Oh my gosh, what ever will I do?
And then I discovered the loophole. Juniors who transferred in did not have to meet this requirement. So, while it meant putting off for two more years my opportunity to spend quality time in my most favored place, I attended two different schools around my hometown, Kansas City, MO.
Between my freshman and sophomore year of college, my mother and brother moved to Hot Springs. My divorced mom had just completed her master's program in social work and decided she wanted to return to her roots. I lived with my dad while I finished up my ROTC-dodging sophomore year and then moved back in with my mom in Hot Springs at the beginning of summer.
My mom's move was very fortuitous for me. Though I didn't yet know I was autistic, I was very aware that there were some very strange things about this fellow called me. While my initial plan was to live in a dorm at some point in college, by this juncture, I knew that wouldn't be a very good idea at all. Living in such close quarters with other people -- non-family members at that! -- would have sent me into stress overload and I'm sure would have set off one panic attack after another. Consequently, my mother's move allowed me to attend OBU without the addition of undue stress.
In my next post, I'll discuss my interesting experiences at OBU.
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