What Starts Here Changed My World
Over the last week I've found myself immersed in the UT community - attending a Longhorn Business Network coffee, a Forty Acres Scholarship Program dinner, and, of course, a football game. Back-to-school season always reminds me of my student days, and as I reflect on my time at UT, I'm struck by how deeply the university has shaped my life in ways I hadn't anticipated.
My path to UT was unconventional - I'm not a sixth generation Texan, a third generation Longhorn, or a native Austinite. In the graduating class of my Bethesda, Maryland high school, only three of us went to colleges in the state of Texas - two to Rice, and myself to UT. I knew attending would be a great next step in my education, but I completely underestimated the effect it would have on my overall life trajectory.
I first visited UT during spring break of my junior year. It was the only school in the country with a dual degree architecture/architectural engineering program, meaning I could earn a B. Architecture (normally a 5-year program) and a B.S. in Architectural Engineering (normally a 4-year program) together in 6 years. What a deal!
The program was a dream; the out-of-state tuition (and 6 years of it) was not.
Fortunately, my mom discovered the Forty Acres Scholars Program. At the time, it was a relatively new merit-based full-ride scholarship program. In its inaugural year, it had attracted around 1,000 applicants, with just 10 being selected as scholars.
After a competitive application process and memorable Finalist Weekend in Austin, I received a life-changing call offering me a scholarship. I still remember the 512 area code popping up on my phone and immediately answering. I told them I was coming - "No, I don't need to check with my parents" - I would be in Austin in the fall.
Moving to Texas came with a bit of culture shock. What was this place called Whataburger? How could I make a left turn at a traffic light without accidentally ending up in the U-turn lane? During my first trip to H-E-B, I spotted a block of cheddar cheese shaped like the state of Texas, and in shock, immediately texted a photo to my family back home. The Texas shaped waffle maker? That got an entire Facebook post. I had never seen state pride like this - I was impressed!
My six years on campus flew by. Due to the demanding nature of the dual degree program, most of it was spent in the architecture studio. Looking back on it now, I have no idea how I did it all! I remember a particularly intense week: I woke up on Monday, stayed awake until Tuesday night, slept for 4 hours, worked all day Wednesday, Wednesday night, and Thursday; slept for 4 more hours, presented my design project Friday afternoon and went to my sorority semi-formal Friday night.
Preparing for a design presentation.
Thankfully I managed to get more sleep as I approached my super-super-senior year (year 6). While highlights include meeting Matthew McConaughey and participating in an incredible study abroad program, the most valuable part of my education turned out to be the friendships and relationships I developed at UT. I met some of my best friends there, and even my future husband. His parents, sibling, and much of his extended family attended Texas A&M, so we have a mostly friendly rivalry to maintain. [Insert Aggie joke here 😉 ]
After graduation, we left Austin and spent several years in Los Angeles and a few in Boston. Six years in school was intense, and I needed a change of scenery. Fast forward several years and my husband and I were deciding where to move next. He’d recently finished grad school in Boston and was accepting a remote position, so we could go just about anywhere. After having to wear flannel pajamas through the first week in June, I ruled out staying in the northeast.
If you’ve ever moved to a new city, you know that the process demands a lot of energy and time. Having moved to LA without knowing anyone, then to Boston without knowing anyone, we didn’t want to start over again. So we returned to Austin.
Coming back, we realized the city had changed quite a bit - there were more skyscrapers downtown and more Teslas on the road than we remembered. But we reconnected with old friends, family, and former classmates who became our community. We returned to some of our favorite restaurants and were able to navigate around town without Google Maps. And we finally enjoyed authentic Tex-Mex and barbecue again!
Reconnecting with the UT community has been incredibly fulfilling. While my relationship with the university has changed (and I’m happy to not be in class anymore!), some things haven’t. Standing in DKR in 80+ degree weather, seeing the tower lit orange, and singing Texas Fight make me feel right back at home. Rediscovering Austin’s design and small business communities have also made me grateful to live in a city with residents who love supporting local companies.
UT has touched my life through work, friends, and family, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I look forward to many more years as a Longhorn. And maybe even a SEC championship.
It’s good to be back.