Jackson Turner

My bio being labeled “student”, is weird to me. Even though I have been in school my whole life, I never considered myself to simply be a “student”. Being a “student” used to sound boring to me, but things have changed.

Back at home in LaGrange, Illinois, I was an athlete, a volunteer, a sports enthusiast, a brother, and a son to name a few. Being all of these things helped shape me into the man that I am today. When the time came to move away for college, I was worried about leaving my past life behind. I will no longer be an athlete, my regular volunteering spots will be far away, and I will be communicating with my family via FaceTime. The thought of moving a thousand miles away from home to start a new chapter in my life was incredibly intimidating, but I was up for the challenge.

I realized that I can still compete like an athlete, volunteer in other places, and still be the best brother and son as possible, but everything will look a little different. Just because I am not in the same place does not mean I am not the same person. But this time around, I will be adding “student” to part of my identity. A student does not mean you just sit in class all day and do homework. A student is someone lucky enough to be able to learn from the things around them to better themselves. I am a student who gets to carve out his own path in any way he sees fit. I am a student who is hungry for knowledge and eager to explore the rest of the world.

So now I am here, in Athens, Georgia, embarking on my own journey. My name is Jackson Turner and I attend the University of Georgia.