Bridget McKenzie was home schooled, so her first time in a Macomb classroom was also her first time in any classroom, ever.
“It was terrifying. I knew nothing and no one,” she said.
McKenzie, a dancer, found her footing one step at a time. She attended Student Success Seminars to learn about time management and how to handle college social situations. She raised her hand to be a group leader in one of her first classes. She made frequent trips to tutoring sessions because she liked the community feeling.
“It’s kind of like picking a lock,” she said. “You keep finding things that click until you get what you need.”
McKenzie came in without a clear picture of what path to study, until a business fundamentals class “blew my mind,” she said. She’s made accounting her focus, with an internship this summer (thanks to one of her professors) and plans to transfer for a bachelor’s degree. She’s also made good friends who are going through the program with her.
“To me, it’s felt like a family,” she said. “Like we’re all in it together.”
McKenzie, who’s now come “full circle” as a tutor herself, offered this advice to new students.
“Take Macomb for all it’s got,” she said. “Talk to everyone and experience as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to reach out and take advantage of the services that are there for you. You’ll have a lot of doors opened up to you just by showing up.”