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Christine BarreraCSP 100August 14

, 2006How Bridge Has Changed My LifeBefore the end of my senior year of high school, I decided my summer vacation wasgoing to be amazing. I decided I would take at least one road trip, visit a variety of citiesand spend my time absorbing warm rays of sunlight while reflecting on life andforgetting how to think. I thought I might have ample time to get to know my friends better, or make new friends before heading off to college, which I planned on being inChicago. It turns out Loyola University requires an obscene amount of money to attend,and my family has no where near the adequate amount of funds. Right about the sametime, during the month of April, I got an acceptance letter to the University of Michigan.I did not even know I was still being considered to attend the school and so I wasshocked. And now I was faced with an important decision; should I throw away my plansfor my amazing last-days-of-high school summer or attend a school that is known for making an impact on the world? I thought hard and came to the conclusion the Universityof Michigan Summer Bridge Program was the best choice for me and my post-highschool activities. I quite my after-school job and prepared myself for the rest of my life. Afew months back my mother bluntly stated to me that my life will never be the sameagain. I have thought about these words often as I prepared myself to leave for collegeafter my one month of bright, warm, joyous summer break, which actually turned out to be very boring and unproductive. On June 25

I gladly left my monotonous pals and theinclusive town of Brighton. I had no idea of what to expect during the Bridge Program,

except that it would be full of kids of minorities, and so I was not surprised at anything because I could not fathom any ideas of what I may encounter. The Bridge Program wasfull of all kinds of learning experiences and new experiences that will shape my collegecareer and possibly even more.When I walked into Mary Markley residence hall on the move-in day everythingwas so different than it is to me now. A typical first day when the building surroundingyou seems so big and the people you meet seem so different. I remember who was in linein front of me and who was behind me. I also remember the boy at the front desk whogave me my key. On the first day I began to understand what my mother meant when shesaid that my life would never be the same. At this point in time I reside in Ann Arbor, andfor the next four years, my address will be in Ann Arbor, or at least not in Brighton.Living in Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan has always seemed anunachievable dream to me. With this I learned that one should not doubt their abilities.What seems unreachable or completely out of line may not be. One cannot doubtanything because things can turnaround in a minute. I did not even want to apply to U of M because I assumed I would be rejected in a minute. I was force-fed my application bymy mother and am now forever indebt. In the first few days of Bridge I learned basicthings. I learned what it is like to have to call my family and make an effort to talk tothem. Sometimes my 16 year old sister calls me for silly reasons that one would notordinarily make a phone call for, and it is just because she is bored without me around. Ialso learned my way around campus better. Coming from a town only 20 miles away, Ivaguely knew my way around before I arrived for school. I did not know street names or building names. I am still working on the street names, but now I at least know the names

of streets that I walk along. I am now familiar with the buildings my fall classes are in soI do not have to wander around campus like a lost animal when the time comes. Despite being at summer school, I feel this is an excellent opportunity that I am actually lucky to be a part of. Even though starting school early is not something most people wouldchoose to do, I think I am lucky to be able to get the hang of school early. In the fall, allof the other freshman around me will be getting lost, and homesick and finding out howto balance their newfound freedom with school work, and I will have learned all of thesethings a few months back and in turn can help others figure it out.The best learning experiences this semester have been the “life-learning”experiences. While it is good and useful to know where to purchase text books, and howto find my classes, I think the best things I learned were social. I am socially inept, and ina situation like this, I feel my shyness has been a major handicap. I have not made anyfriends in these 10 weeks at college, at least not anyone in the Bridge Program. I havemet many nice kids who find me interesting and nice and cool. Yet, I have not become“buddies” with any of them. Friendship really does take equal amounts of effort from people on both ends. I knew this, but now I think I understand it better. Any other friendship has been with people that I kind of knew and it was easier to expand it becauseof already sharing a common ground. During the Bridge Program, I came in not knowinganyone and I will leave not knowing anyone because I was too shy to attempt to befriendanyone who opened themselves up to my friendship by complimenting me. Before thefall term begins, I will write down a list of goals, which I usually do before the schoolyear begins, though I did not before this summer term and that was probably a mistake.The Becoming A Master Student work book has reinforced this step. I find I do not make