My name is Toni Phillips, I am a Junior here at the University of Oklahoma and I'm 20 years old. My major is Public Relations with a minor in Spanish. During my senior year of high school, I graduated early at 17 and moved to Los Angeles. I went there with a friend, simply determined to get out of my hometown of Lawton, Oklahoma. I had no real plans, no dreams of becoming an actress, and I really didn't know what I was doing. After a semester spent living there, I realized it was not for me and I moved back in 2014 to begin my freshman year at Oklahoma State University, which I mostly chose because of the scholarships they gave me. I joined a sorority and spent my whole freshman year slightly unhappy, wondering if I had made the right choice.
Eventually, I decided OSU was too country, too agricultural, too conservative, and just not my style. So I decided to make the switch to OU, and it is the best decision I have ever made. I dropped out of the sorority, changed my major, and I immediately fell in love, made friends, and enjoyed every day in Norman. It was one of the first times in my life where I felt like I was where I was supposed to be and wasn't yearning to be somewhere else, and it was and is a really great feeling.
I love going to football and basketball games with my friends, and the fall/winter are my favorite seasons. I love Halloween, Christmas and everything about the weather and atmosphere during the "ber" months. So I'm really excited for this fall semester. My mind is constantly changing on where I want to be and what I want to do with my life, but I think I'm finally getting there. Here's to another great year.
(Personal photo of myself from a football game,
Fall 2015)
What a great post title, Toni: a mind-changer could be someone who changes their own mind... or who changes other people's minds! Very nice! And it is also very nice to hear that you found the right place for you at OU. The "ber" months are indeed a great time at OU, and I always feel like the Fall semester classes get an extra boost of energy from all the football and holiday excitement. Holidays are in fact a possible theme to explore for Myth-Folklore, so maybe you will want to do a Halloween or a Christmas project for this class... you can see where inspiration leads you as the class gets going! :-)
ReplyDeleteToni,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you shared your journey with the class! It is always interesting to hear where people came from and how they came to be where they are today. You definitely made the right choice transferring to OU (boomer). What sorority were you in back at OSU. Congrats on your senior and lets get ready for our last football season as students (tears!)!
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ReplyDeleteHey Toni!
ReplyDeleteEven though you went to OSU we won't hold that against you since you made the right choice in the end. :-p I really enjoyed getting to know you in your introduction post! I'm glad you love Gaylord and being a PR major, I know you mentioned on my post you wanted to get more involved and I would definitely recommend Lindsey and Asp. Its a great way to make friends while getting experience for the "real world." Like you, I love the "ber" months, by the way that is an awesome way to refer to it! What is your favorite part of Halloween? For me it is the scary stories, hopefully we get the chance to write some of our own! Im excited to read your posts this semester and if you ever have any PR questions let me know!
Hi Toni!
ReplyDeleteI do not think it is a bad thing that you went to LA without any goals in mind and that you went to OSU, but decided that you did not like it. As long as you realize that you were not happy and did something about is all that really matters. I think it is really interesting to hear about people's past and how they got to where they are today!
Hey Toni!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how honest you were about not knowing where you wanted to go or what you wanted to do in this post. I can totally relate! I feel like I've struggled for so long trying to find out what I want to do and who I want to spend my time with, and just recently everything seems to have fallen into place. It's funny how things just work out sometimes. I'm a Creative Media Production major, so maybe I'll see you around Gaylord sometime! I also just finished my Spanish minor!
Toni,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you went on quite the adventure before you ended up at the University of Oklahoma, it's way better than Oklahoma State University. I've never heard of anyone describe the fall as the "ber" months, but I like it. I'll be sure to use it in the future. Thanks for sharing, good luck with the rest of your semester.
Andrew
Toni, it is nice to meet you. It sounds like you have lived a cool life thus far. I've never lived in Los Angeles but I am fairly certain it is not for me either. I agree OSU is a god forsaken place fit for no one to live. Glad to see you have made life at OU better for yourself. Thanks for posting and I look forward to reading some of your stories.
ReplyDeleteHey, Toni!
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad you finally found your way to OU! You look really happy in your photo. I have always wanted to do something spontaneous and perhaps mad- like move to Colorado despite not knowing anyone there. I am inspired by your determination to find your home!
Cant wait to read more from you this semester!
Emily
Toni,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, oh my gosh, I love those gloves! Where did you get them? Anyway, that was pretty brave of you to move out to LA! Can I ask why you didn't like it? I've never been to California, but I've also wanted t go. I don't know if I'd want to live there though, but maybe the East coast... I don't know much about Public Relations, what do you want to do with that? Is that the same thing you wanted to do in LA? Nice to meet you! :)
Oh my gosh you are so brave to move to a new state, I really admire that! I'm glad that you got to come to OU. I transferred from another school also and it was the best decision I've ever made. It's awesome to see how we all ended up here. I also love winter and fall, I'm a huge fan of slouchy hats and beanies, leggings, and boots. Hope you have a great semester!
ReplyDeleteHwy Toni!
ReplyDeleteWow, were you moving about. That is awesome that you finally found somewhere that makes you happy and comfortable. I felt the same way you did your freshmen year during my freshmen year. The whole year was pretty miserable and I was wondering if I made the right decision on my college, major, and location. Luckily, shortly after that year I found my best friends and grew comfortable with the location and major I am in.
I don't like the cold but I do like the aesthetic that fall brings. I am excited for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas because of how family-oriented those holidays are. I love being in comfy, big, baggy clothes so fall does bring some sort of likings for me.
Anyways, it was great to read about you and I hope this semester treats you well. Good luck!
Hello Toni, it is so nice to meet you. Your introduction is a sweet coming of age kind of story. I am glad that you had the opportunity to try living in a different state and attending a different school, especially since it led you to a place of being content and happy. It has taken me twice as long as you to do the same thing. I am a senior at OU, but I am going to be 40 next week. I agree with you though, coming to OU was one of the best decisions I have ever made as well. Your photo is great. You just look so happy. I look forward to reading some of your writing for this class.
ReplyDeleteYou have done so much in such a short amount of time and that is amazing! I cannot imagine moving to far away right after high school. I would not have been able to manage it. It is so awesome that you got that chance. I also transferred into OU and have been so much happier for it, although I'm 29. I will finally graduate and see a life long dreamed fulfilled in December. It's such a great feeling so I wish you the best of luck with finding and planning your future, it really is just the greatest experience and you already are doing so many great things!
ReplyDeleteHi Toni! I am very impressed with all the life changing decisions you made at such a young age. I'm still scared to move once I graduate haha. So good for you! California is a place I cannot wait to visit. My boyfriend may be getting into grad school somewhere in CA, so it might be a place I move to eventually. Good luck with the rest of your college career and I hop everything still continues to go smoothly for you!
ReplyDeleteHi Toni!! It sounds like you've been all around. I like that OU has become your permanent home for the time being. I too am a Public Relations major. However, I'm on the tail end of my Gaylord journey as I graduate in 12 days. Wishing you the best. Looking forward to reading more of your stories.
ReplyDelete