As the summer began to wind down in sunny Florida, Lauryn Parker started to prepare for her junior year of college. The warm, silent air made her question her current path. Is this the college experience I want? Her exercise science major, which had first seemed the perfect fit, now felt overwhelming. She remembered the psychology class she took last year and how it was genuinely interesting to her. Could I change my major this late in college? The question began to linger as she continued to lay out the pros and cons.
Now just two years post-grad, admissions associate Lauryn Parker has first-hand experience with the importance of being adaptable and accepting change. Her story is a perfect example of how embracing change can shape a person’s professional and personal life.
Lauryn Parker grew up in a small town in Florida as one of four siblings. Her childhood was rather smooth and she had a consistent lifestyle. Current SCH math teacher Lance Ramer knew Lauryn Parker when she was in high school and spoke very highly of her during this time.
“She’s hard working, energetic, always has a smile on her face, a great teammate, and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done,” Mr. Ramer recalled.
As she began applying to colleges, Ms.Parker applied and was accepted with scholarships to many in-state schools but ended up choosing High Point. Originally, Parker majored in exercise science mainly because she had lifelong aspirations of being a physician’s assistant. But halfway through her junior year she followed her heart. Instead of the plan she made as a senior in high school she switched her major to psychology.
“I wanted to transition over and change my major, which was kind of a big deal. I was going into my senior year. It wasn’t normal,” Ms. Parker reflected. This risk ended up paying off as she learned one of the most important skills anyone can have: adaptability.
After graduating from High Point in 2022 with a job at a behavioral health services company doing sales in Atlanta, Georgia–just a state down from her hometown–Parker became comfortable with her new lifestyle. This all changed in September of this year when her relationship led her to move to Philadelphia.
“I was not so happy about it in the beginning, mostly because I didn’t know how I was gonna handle living in a bigger city,” Parker recalled. “But I was happy that I had my boyfriend here, and his family here… and then the other thing was just having support–people around me that I really knew.”
Today Lauryn Parker thrives in Philadelphia as an associate admissions officer for Springside Chestnut Hill. In this new role she is able to reflect on past experiences with change and adaptability and recognize the profound impact they’ve had on her professional work.
“I’m new to the team, there’s other new members on this team, and so just like adapting to different people and different work styles, I think that my past in adaptability definitely helps me there,“ Ms. Parker reflected. Her ability to adjust quickly to this new environment has been key to her success thus far.
Looking forward Lauryn Parker doesn’t know exactly what’s coming next. “Lots of things happen that may be within your control or may not be within your control, but you have to be adaptable.”
Through her journey so far–from a college student majoring in exercise science to becoming an admissions associate in a new city– Lauryn Parker has come to realize the full power of adaptability. She recognizes that life doesn’t always go according to plan but she also knows that’s how she grew so much as a person.
“You can always turn back. I used to think once you start down a path, you have to stick with it. But you don’t. You can always make a change, go left or right, or even go backward—it’s all about being willing to try,” she concluded.
