I moved over 600 miles for UH. I love it here. – The Cougar

For certain dreams to become reality, uprooting and moving over 600 miles is necessary. 

I come from a small town in the Texas Panhandle that had more farmers than schools in the area. Seeing cowboys riding their horses to the nearest Dairy Queen is not just a thing in the movies. The town itself seemed to be in its own bubble, and families who had been living there since the 1800s still flourished. With that, limited resources are available for finding connections when everyone already knows everyone. 

For my case, writing and the pursuit of valuable journalism became more than a dream. It had to become my reality. As much as the panhandle is my home and where my heart will stay, I could feel my feet getting stuck. If I wanted to gain the experience I needed, I had to leave. 

As one of the most diverse cities in the U.S. and home to several leading news stations, Houston was the obvious next step for me. This boom town is a hub for workaholics and dreamers, so the possibilities were endless for what lay in my path. 

UH drew me in because of their strong academics and the wide range of opportunities. I hadn’t even taken a tour yet—much less accepted—when I committed myself to the university. I knew that my future lay there and never doubted that gut feeling. 

From the moment I stepped onto campus, I could tell students were very driven, beyond the level I was used to. Each held their own reasons for being successful. Whether the end goal was creative freedom or being rich, students had inspiration that kept them fueled. To this day, I can feel it on game days, walking into class and especially in The Cougar newsroom.

In the past year, I have learned lessons that have made me a better journalist than I could have ever learned 600 miles away. The University and the city are to thank for that. These social hubs are filled with connections and stories that are unfathomable to others. You could be an electrical engineer major, and your greatest connection is the person sitting next to you on the bus. All it takes is a little conversation, and your path is completely altered. 

This aspect is very close to my heart because what makes UH remarkable are the individuals who accompany it. With every new corner on campus comes a new life story and lesson we can all listen to. Coming from a smaller town, I can now truly understand how our greatest asset is the people we meet.

Without the people I work with in the newsroom, I would never have had important experiences for my career. Without UH, I would not be here writing this. 

That gut feeling or intuition that UH held my future was not wrong. Applying to this school was one of the best decisions I have made in my 20 years of life. I have met inspiring people and had experiences that my 17-year-old self would never have believed. 

Anna Monroe can be reached at [email protected]