Maroon and orange: Growing, belonging, and flourishing at Virginia Tech

Chicago maroon and burnt orange – the Virginia Tech colors that decorate generations of Hokies. For me, a senior in high school sitting on my bedroom floor sifting through the array of college pamphlets that had decorated my room for months, these colors stood out among the rest. “Why would they pick these colors?” I thought as I paged through the pamphlet, distraught by the striking images of maroon and orange paired together.

I could never have imagined in that moment, as I was overwhelmed by the prospect of life after graduation, that those colors would come to represent such a unique, fruitful time of my life – a time when I was given the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself and the resources to grow and understand who I am in ways I never had before.

As a first-generation student from a small town, I was worried I would feel alone, lost amongst such a large student population. However, finding my place at Virginia Tech came much easier than I anticipated. I was embraced by the residents of my dorm and quickly had a strong support system. I met people with the same interests as my own, who encouraged me to join clubs and participate in student media, later giving me the confidence to pursue leadership roles in these organizations.

I was able to explore my interests quickly and able to learn alongside friends with similar aspirations. Within the first semester, I learned I was not alone. I felt I belonged in a way I never had before; I was a member of a loving community that encouraged me to do things I would have never dreamed possible.

Virginia Tech has allowed me to understand myself, giving me the space and resources to dissect my values, beliefs, and goals. I have learned from some of the most talented professors about work I have always been passionate about, finding comfort in the mentorship and guidance they graciously offer.

I have learned to take learning opportunities as they come, to embrace challenges as lessons, and that no matter what, there is always room to grow. Virginia Tech taught me not to be afraid to use my voice, to be confident in what I have to offer, and to work to embrace and improve both my strengths and weaknesses to become the best version of myself.

Whenever I look back on the journey that led me to Virginia Tech, I always chuckle at how insulted I was by the colors of maroon and orange. I have come to understand that deep down, I knew Virginia Tech was the perfect school for me. It had everything I had hoped for in a school, but it was not home – at least not yet.

I was scared to leave my hometown, and those colors were the one flaw I could find that would let me stay. Taking that step to attend Virginia Tech was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make, but it has by far become one of the most rewarding.

I have learned so much about every aspect of myself, what I want my future to be, and what it means to be a part of such a strong community; above all, I have learned to embrace every opportunity with open arms. While in high school those colors represented a change I was terrified to make, I now wear them proudly on my sleeve, ready to take what they have taught me into every opportunity that life has yet to present.