Alyssa Hollingsworth's Blog

I first set foot on Berry soil as a high school sophomore. I didn’t know right off that this was the place for me—I just knew that when I stood beneath the arches of Ford I felt peaceful.  In a life that’s anything but quiet, this peace is what continually reminds me that Berry College was the right choice for me.

Here I am now, a junior.  I’m an English major (creative writing emphasis) working three on-campus jobs, taking a full load of courses and writing novels in my spare time.  Did I mention life as an overambitious college student is hectic?

Because I am an English Major, here’s an outline of the things you might want to know.

1. A Navy brat, to be specific.
2. I’ve lived in five different houses since I was ten.
3. You know how parents aren’t supposed to change students’ rooms after they ship off to college?  Well, my family moved the winter of my freshman year—brand new house, new town, the whole lot of it.

2. I’m a traveler. 

1. I’ve been to seven different countries—Canada, Mexico, Germany, England, Italy, Austria (twice by accident), and the United Arab Emirates.
2. Once my family did the whole drive-from-Mississippi-to-San-Diego-without-stopping thing.  I remain in awe that we survived.
3. I read travel guides for fun. Yes, actually.

1. I grew up listening to my dad read lighthearted children’s books like Lord of the Rings and The Once and Future King. I have a long attention span.
2. Today I divide my spare time between reading classics and young adult novels. Some of my favorites include Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), The Percy Jackson Series (Rick Riordan), Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) and Beauty (Robin McKinley).
3. People who don’t like to read sort of terrify me.

1. As stated above, I love writing. I’ve written several manuscripts for fun, most of them in the Young Adult Fantasy genre.
2. Photography is my second artistic passion. I dream of traveling the world photographing community development projects.
3. I dabble in graphic design. I love designing posters, particularly our student literary journal, Ramifications.

1. I was Home Schooled from third grade till graduation. At one point I had very long hair and I’ve always owned glasses. But because I was Home Schooled, I got to do some crazy things like meet Douglas Gresham (C.S. Lewis’ step-son), go to museums when they were completely empty, and walk along the top of a volcano in Hawaii while the rest of you were stressing over your standardized tests.
2. I started attending community college as a dual enrolled student at the ripe young age of 16. This is why all my friends glare at me whenever class registration comes around. (I get to register early.)
3. I’m a Gate of Opportunity Scholar. This means that while I’m taking classes, I’m also learning how to work in an office. Or several offices, as the case may be.

By the by, my name is Alyssa.

Stay tuned for more adventures--including but not limited to my study abroad journey at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom this semester!