The Spectrum, College Edition: What One Semester of Growth Looks Like

Howdy! That’s my new greeting as one of the loudest and proudest fighting Texas Aggies! I am so excited to share about my first semester at Texas A&M University, living away from home, finding my new supports and routines, and friends, and to thank you. This scholarship award for the 2023-24 year helped kick off my successful transition into this next chapter. I am honored and grateful, and proud to say that your funding has been put to good use. This is just a glimpse of what one semester of growth has looked like for me.

First of all, I believe most high school grads are apprehensive about their first experiences at college, especially those that move out and have to adult in a new setting. I was concerned about so much change at one time, so many routines that would be made fresh and new. But, I am so blessed. I’m living with three of my good friends, and together, we’ve learned a lot. So many people recommend not living with friends you already know, that it usually strains the relationships. For me, I believe it was just the right amount of “normal” that I needed. It gave me a sense of home, quickly, with people I was already comfortable being around. Getting set up in my space was also key. Anticipating my need for order and routines, I think it was the little things we put into place to have a smooth start. For example, dirty clothes. I mean most people my age just drop them on the floor or have a hamper, right? But, because I would be doing all of the laundry on my own, we decided to streamline the process. I have 5 small baskets in the bottom of my closet and the dirty laundry is sorted as it comes off and therefore the basket is always ready to grab, wash, and return. For me, finding systems that work set me up for success so I don’t get bogged down in tasks that most people don’t put a whole lot of thought into.

Next came the academic supports. I really have to brag on TAMU’s Division of Student Affairs. It has felt like I’m truly a priority, that my contact in that office knows my needs and didn’t just file away my paperwork. Before the fall semester started, we were able to meet, talk about my concerns and needs, the tools I was used to receiving in high school, and plan for what college classes might look like for me. With the help of this office, am I very proud to report a 4.0 for my first semester of Texas A&M courses. I feel so lucky to have landed at a university that truly sees its students and works with them to help them reach their goals. Something else I did to specifically manage my assignments and time was to use a spreadsheet to organize everything that I needed to do for my courses. At the beginning of the semester, we created a color-coded sheet with all of the info from each syllabus. There’s a column to check off each assignment as I get it done. It helps me stay focused, and I feel so accomplished.

As I previously mentioned, I am lucky enough to already have built-in friends that I live with, but I also have had the chance to meet so many other people. One of my gifts is rhythm, and I love to dance. I have danced in a studio since I was two years old, and the thought of stopping it completely made me sad. I’m so glad that has not been the case. I got plugged into Dance Arts Society, and absolutely loved performing in my first collegiate show. I can’t wait until our performance in the spring. I have applied to be a choreographer for this season! I also joined Young Life, and am going to a small group Bible study on Thursday nights. This is a group of girls my age, and I think it is important that I make time to feed my soul as well. On that note, I just got word that I was selected as a Breakaway Ministries volunteer. This is so exciting. I was placed on the greeter team this semester. I know that is going to give me the opportunity to interact with so many other Aggies as we welcome students to Reed Arena every Tuesday night for worship. Finally, I joined Alpha Omicron Pi and I am getting to know my sisters, participating in service projects and networking. All of this to say, getting plugged in was a concern. Balancing all of it was the next hurdle. Turns out, it has been so beneficial to have these groups and their meetings rotating into my weeks on a regular basis. These people and organizations, they are filling my time and feeding my connections, and I am having a fun time on this journey, that is all of the sudden not so scary at all.

I am excited about the spring semester and look forward to so many more lessons, and the growth I am seeing in myself. Thanks to the generosity of your organization, I am able to focus on my courses and connections. I am truly honored to have been selected for this scholarship last year, and just wanted to let the committee know that the funds have been put to good use. I certainly don’t take any of my current opportunities for granted and would be humbly flattered to represent your generosity again. I plan to continue working towards a Telecommunication and Media Studies Bachelor of Arts with a minor in Graphic Design, and am hopeful that one day I will work with a non-profit or corporation to communicate and reach the masses. Who knows, maybe I will be able to work for an organization like yours and spread the word about all the good you are doing.

Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, Tiktok, Youtube & Instagram.

What happens to children with autism, when they become adults? | Kerry Magro | TEDxMorristown (youtube.com)

 My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum. I started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue post-secondary education. Help support me so I can continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.

Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams was released on March 29, 2022 on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to our nonprofit to support initiatives like our autism scholarship program. In addition, this autistic adult’s essay you just read will be featured in a future volume of this book as we plan on making this into a series of books on autistic adults.