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Sonja Konevich '05
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Sonja Konevich '05
Southern transplant taking root |
Sweet Home Alabama? For Sonja Konevich '05 make that Sweet Home
Carolina. Sonja came to Louisburg, North Carolina from Northern
California because of a movie and a desire for a junior college
in the South.
"I saw the movie Sweet Home Alabama and decided I wanted to
live in the South," says Sonja. "My parents wouldn't let me go
to a junior college without dorms. Louisburg is the best one in
the South and the only one with dorms. I applied and got
accepted in a month. My parents didn't know I was applying
here. They were really stressing about my leaving home and
going so far away. But when the admissions office called and
told us I got in, they were really excited for me. My Dad and I
came out to visit in spring break and I fell in love. The
campus is beautiful."
Sonja Konevich comes from Los Altos, California, just south of
San Francisco, a fourth generation descendent from Spanish,
Croatian, and Yugoslavian roots. Although she has not confirmed
her major, she thinks it will be early childhood development.
She hopes to go next to UNC Chapel Hill, or North Carolina
State, or UNC Wilmington. Some day she would like to open her
own preschool.
What was her biggest adjustment in coming to Louisburg? "I had
to get used to the food," she says. "Everyone eats a lot more
fried food than I'm used to. The first time I ate barbecue I
got sick. And I don't like sweet tea. Last night I had chicken
and dumplings for the first time. It's been quite an
adventure."
Her favorite aspect of Louisburg has been meeting new friends
and enjoying her newfound freedom. And she has found the
academic success she wanted, the success she needed to be able
to go on to a first-rate four-year college. "My GPA in high
school was 2.1 and first semester here it was 3.3," she says.
"That's a significant improvement. When I told my Dad my GPA,
he was really proud of me. That is so significant because he
had never told me that before. Now that I have better grades my
outlook on the future has changed. Now I can go to Chapel Hill,
and that's not an easy school to get in. I never could have
made it there without Louisburg College."
Her advice for prospective students: find a campus you feel
comfortable on. She knew Louisburg was for her when she fit in
right away. Other things have taken some adjustment. "I like
barbecue now, but I still don't like sweet tea."
Some things are an acquired taste.
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