I Believe in the Power of Our Own Strength

I Believe in the Power of Our Own Strength

I began my first semester as a transfer student at the University of Alabama in January of 2006. I was a long way from my home in Washington, D.C. and felt extremely out of place as I attempted to adjust to southern living. I had lived on campus for only a week and a half when I was physically attacked in my dorm.

On a bright and brisk January afternoon, I was walking home from my classes, but I wasn’t alone. A fellow student was also walking--not to his home, but to mine.
I could feel someone behind me as carefree students walked together to class. I could hear them talking and laughing, but my mind was elsewhere. I could only concentrate on the quickening footsteps behind me.

I reached the door of the all girls dormitory and for one fleeting second thought, Safety.
That thought quickly vanished. As soon as I entered the elevator, so did he. He followed me out of the elevator and toward my dorm room, where I told him firmly to leave. The man charged at me as soon as I unlocked the door. What must have been only about a few minutes seemed like an eternity even three years later.

Grasping my arms together with his hands, he pushed me onto my bed. Reality clicked on like a light bulb. I realized what was happening to me, and this enraged me. I alternated my screams for help with screams affirming that he messed with the wrong woman. Soon my screams were solely those of rage, and the attacker became the one being attacked as I began to muster all my strength to fight him back. I don’t think we ever truly realize our own strength, mental and physical, until tested.

Within minutes I had the man fleeing as fast as he could back to the elevator. You would think I would have locked the door and called 911…but no. I chased the man to the elevator in such a rage that I slashed him with my keys, threatened him, and then retreated, leaving him probably more confused than he had ever been in his life.

My assailant was caught and is still to this day awaiting trail for daring to attack me. I told the university they were lucky this happened to a girl like me, because I am able to tell a positive story, and the University Police still refer to me and the girl who “kicked butt.”

Today, I carry mace and still get on high alert when I hear footsteps behind me, but not in fear. What happened to me that January changed my life, luckily for the better. I learned from my experience just how strong I can be and that I am capable of anything. I believe that we must all find the power of our own strength, and never ever forget it.