Growing up in the small town of Loretto, Tennessee, Brinley Rigsby dreamed of attending a large university. Once she took a campus tour of the University of North Alabama (UNA), however, she knew it had to become her new home—the overall “hometown” atmosphere and friendly people won her over. That said, going to a smaller university doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of something big.
For Brinley, that includes being a member of UNA’s Bicentennial Class! This means she’s on track to graduate the same year that the university turns 200. “I don’t think a lot of people get to say that they’re going to be in the graduating class of their school that has been there for 200 years,” Brinley says, adding that “getting to be a part of something very important to the school” is sure to have a positive impact on the next four years.
This shared bond within the Bicentennial Class is something that is sure to enhance Brinley’s UNA experience; she loves to talk and make new friends. In fact, her passion and skill in connecting with others is part of the reason she’s chosen to pursue a degree in occupational therapy.
“My original major was business, and then I started looking into some different types of majors just to make sure that that’s exactly what I wanted to do,” she says. “I decided that my major needed to be somewhere helping people. So, I decided to go with occupational therapy because you’re really hands-on with people and face-to-face. I love talking to people all the time.”
Between Greek life and the various registered student organizations (RSOs) campus has to offer, Brinley will have plenty of opportunities to make new connections. In doing so, she also hopes to get to know herself a bit better.
“I don’t really think that you truly [find yourself] until you get on your own. So, I’m really excited to just be on my own and figure out how I want to be as a person,” Brinley says. “And I know that [experiences like] gaining more friends will teach me what I truly love and not what I have been used to.”
Plenty of college students end up changing their major a time or two (or three), and Brinley is okay with that. In fact, she’s already considering a double major; by studying both occupational therapy and business, she could open up her own clinic one day! Whatever she ends up deciding, Brinley simply hopes that she is able to enjoy every minute of her time at UNA.
“Make the most of your experience here,” Brinley says, imagining her future-self advising her, “because it’s going to go by fast, just like high school did.”