A Dollar and a Dream (Part I)

I’ve been on a mission to visit as many schools as I can. I had the chance so far to visit two schools in Illinois. I wanted to further explore my options by visiting schools that I consider to be my top choices. On multiple occasions, I frequently check school websites for any updates about their program.  If I was unable to find an open house date on the website, I would personally call to see if they had an open house scheduled. The first school I planned to visit was Hampton University. I’ve always admired Hampton’s program through their activism via their social media platforms. So when I called, I found out that their open house would be held Oct. 13th 5:30-7:30pm. I intentionally started to look into hotels and flights. Once I set my mind on something, there is no turning back.  Initially, I planned to bring along a friend with me so I wouldn’t have to travel by myself, but due to financial difficulty and conflicting schedules my friends were unable to accompany me. Despite that, I knew that no matter what, I was making this trip happen.  I knew that if I was able to get one friend to come, it would cut down on my total cost, but it soon became apparent I was on my own. 

That same week, I looked on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore website and noticed they were hosting an open house Oct. 15th at 1pm. In other words, I sought to make the most out of my trip by visiting two schools instead of one.  I found out that Maryland was only 3 hours away from Virginia. I was determined to make it work. But I ran into an issue when booking my flight back to Chicago from Maryland. Near Princess Anne, the city where UMES is located, there is only one airline nearby. The only flight leaving from the area was on Saturday at 9am, and that was too soon because the open house started at 1pm that day. That would make the trip useless if I left during that time. The other nearest airport is located in Baltimore, Maryland approximately 2.5 hours away from the school. Now, I knew this would be a challenge and began to navigate my options. I became exhausted and even doubted the second part of my trip. I called my friend Mide, who is in the process of applying to medical school; I knew she could empathize with my situation. She told me to call the school and ask if they have any accommodations for students who plan to attend the open house, since I was coming all the way from Chicago. I was already on a mission and willing to find any opportunity to get myself there. The next morning, I called the office and what happened next changed everything.