Have you Found your "Finger"?

Have you Found your "Finger"?

Hey everyone! How have you been? I didn't really know what I was going to write about this week. I played around with a few ideas, but none of them felt right. Then it hit me! To get from my first class, English, to my second class, American History, I have to walk through the the plaza in the middle of Columbus State’s campus. In the center of the plaza, on a cement pedestal, stands a ginormous Christopher Columbus statue. His body is turned to the right, but his head faces downtown. In his right hand is a  rolled map, and his left hand points toward downtown. As I walked to my class on Wednesday, I looked at the statue and remembered what it had done for me all last semester.

Now, over the summer I did something incredibly, mind-numbingly stupid. I forgot my information for my ACT/SAT. As a result, I could not get my scores. Luckily for me there was a solution. I could take placement tests on campus in the place of my ACT/SAT scores. So in July of last year, I went in to take the tests.

My mom and I printed out the bus routes the night before the tests, went over one I would take. I would get on the number two bus in Clintonville, and take it all the way down to the big Nationwide building downtown. From Nationwide, I would take a bus called the C-Max (no, I don’t know what it stands for), up to campus. On the way back, I would just reverse the trip. When I made my way to the plaza, and the first thing I saw was the big Chris Columbus statue pointing at me.

I asked for directions, and found my way to the testing center. The testing center is in the back of the campus, in the opposite direction of the Nationwide building. I went inside, sat down, said a quick prayer, and started the tests. Overall it took me two hours-ish to finish, so when I left the testing center I had already checked out. To make matters worse when I left, classes were in session, so campus was empty. It was like one of those old cowboy movies when the new guy walks into town and it's all creepy and deserted.

I started to panic because I didn’t know which way to go. I began to run around the campus to find someone who could help me, but all that did was get me lost. Fortunately after about 10-15 minutes, I found my way to the plaza. As I got closer to the pedestal, I realized that there were stairs leading up to the statue itself. I walked up the stairs and sat down, under the shade of the statue. I then of course, remembered that I had seen the statue pointing at me when I walked in. I realized that Christopher Columbus was pointing me home. When I started riding my bike to class, I would lock it up in that same general direction so that I could find my way back.

As I looked at the statue this week, I started to think about the all of the people in my life. I realized that the people I love the most are exactly, in one way or another, like that finger. My Brother Ryan, has always been there for me no matter what. My aunts, Melissa, Cyndi, Shana, and my Grandma, Bev (Nimba), always give the best advice. S.M. and by extension, Sam’s fans has taught me, that no matter how much something sucks, it will always gets better. My Parish, my mom and dad, and all of the other groups I am in, keep me on the right path, spiritually and in life. My grade school teachers, both taught me in how to read and write, etc... but they also taught me more recently, how to be a teacher. Of course my “sisters”, have helped me realize how awesome I am, and help me with anything I ask them for help with. There are so many more people who have helped me get to be where I am and I'm eternally grateful. If you are struggling with something, find the people who make up your “finger” and let them guide you.  I promise it helps.

Have A greattastic day (or night)

J. Mitchell Ulibarri