Who is Savannah?

Hello! If you are new here, welcome – I am so happy you are here! My name is Savannah Hall, I am 22 years old and live in the beautiful state of Georgia! My parents are originally from Ohio and grew up in two neighboring small towns. I spent most of my life in a tiny village called Percival, Iowa, and made the bold decision to move to Georgia on my own at 19.

My dad joined the Marines before I was born, which is how my family ended up in the Iowa/Nebraska area. I graduated from high school in 2020 with a class of about 50 students and went on to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), majoring in Interior Design with a minor in Business. Interior Design has always been a passion of mine – I grew up loving HGTV shows and found so much joy in decorating my room.

At UNL I also went through the rush process and joined the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. The Interior Design program, however, required students to reapply after completing their first year. To reapply, you had to submit a portfolio of all the work you had completed during the year, and the program, which had limited spaces, would review it to decide whether you were accepted. In May 2021, while on vacation in Colorado with some of my sorority sisters, I found out that I didn’t get into the program. I was devastated. That summer, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out my next steps. I could either reapply in August or switch majors, which would likely push back my graduation since I had already completed so many design classes. In July, I visited my Aunt Krystal in Georgia. After talking to her about not getting into the program, she suggested I visit the University of Georgia (UGA), as they lived only 2 hours from Athens. Her advice was simple: “What do you have to lose?” I took her advice, went on a campus tour (which she attended with me), and immediately fell in love with everything about UGA.

I remember looking at my aunt and telling her “I want to go here”. As soon as we got back to her house, I started my application to transfer immediately. This was a very impulsive decision, and if you know me, I’m not usually impulsive – so this was completely out of character for me. I told my aunt “If I get into UGA, I’m moving. I don’t know the details, but I’ll figure it out.”

I had always loved Georgia from my visits to Dahlonega for military kids’ camp in high school and trips to see my aunt. However, not everyone was as excited about my decisions as I was. My boyfriend at the time was upset and really did not want me to leave. It was difficult, but deep down this was something I needed to do for myself and my future, even if it meant disappointing him.

In August of 2021, while sitting at the office desk of the tanning salon where I worked, I received an email from UGA. My coworker encouraged me to open it right away. When I did – and if I remember correctly – I may have screamed a little. I got in, and I was ecstatic. It finally felt like things were starting to work out the way I had hoped.

By December 2021, we were packing up my Jeep Liberty and a rented Toyota Highlander as full as we possibly could – because, of course, I had a lot of things! My boyfriend rode with me in the Jeep, while my parents drove the Highlander. As we made the drive, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of what I was leaving behind. I was saying goodbye to my best friends, my hometown, and the life I had known for 19 years. It was bittersweet, but I was excited to start this new chapter and see where it would lead me.

I had found an apartment that was within my budget and would have three roommates. I hadn’t met any of these girls before, so it was a risk – but one I felt would be worth it.

January rolled around, and on January 10, 2022, I attended my first day of classes at UGA. Coincidentally, it was also the day of the National Championship, which – if you’re aware—Georgia ended up winning. Talk about an exciting way to kick off a new chapter!

However, what I hadn’t planned for was how I was going to pay for school. Some of my scholarships didn’t transfer, and I had already run out of the GI Bill benefits I received through my dad’s military service. When I received the semester bill, I can’t remember the exact amount, but it was somewhere around $19,000. Little 19-year-old me did not have $19,000.

I immediately started panicking. My parents were trying to help me figure out what to do, but I knew we didn’t have that kind of money lying around. I had taken out some loans through FAFSA, but it wasn’t nearly enough to cover the full amount.

I continued going to classes like normal holding onto hope that I’d figure something out. But as the last day to pay the semester balance approached, I found myself sitting in the financial aid office, desperate for a solution. The person I spoke to was kind but brutally honest. He told me “I’m sorry you’re going through this, but if I were in your position, I would take some time off and try to save up to pay for classes. Taking out this much in loans without a cosigner could put you in a very bad financial position.”

I left that office trying to hold back tears until I was out of the building. His words stung, but looking back, I’m thankful he was so honest. If he hadn’t been, I might be sitting here today drowning in a mountain of debt.

The weight of failure hung heavy on me—I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had moved all this way for nothing. As I found the bus stop where my shuttle would pick me up, I called my aunt. Completely falling apart. Between sobs, I explained everything: the financial situation, the impending need to withdraw from classes, and how I felt like a failure. I was terrified of what people would think of me if I dropped out of college.

She listened patiently and reassured me that anyone who truly loved me and wanted the best for me wouldn’t judge me for trying my best. If they did, she said, they didn’t deserve a place in my life. We stayed on the phone for hours while I sat at that bus stop, crying the entire time. By the end of that conversation, my aunt had helped me make peace with the decision to withdraw from classes. It was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever made, but I knew it was the right one.

And if that moment wasn’t dramatic enough, I also made another life-changing decision while sitting at that bus stop –I decided to end my three-and-a-half-year relationship. We weren’t engaged, but marriage had been a constant topic between us, especially since his plan was to make the military his career. The now long-distance relationship had become increasingly toxic over the past year, and deep down, I knew it was time to let go and move on. That conversation with my aunt, and the decisions I made in that moment, completely altered the trajectory of my life.

Looking back, I know it sounds dramatic, but I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t made those two decisions. If I stayed in that relationship or taken out massive student loans, I’d likely be in a very different, unhappy place – married to someone I didn’t want to be married to and drowning in debt. Thankfully, that’s not the life I’m living.

When I first moved to Georgia, I had taken a full-time assistant manager job at Palm Beach Tan. Balancing a 40-hour workweek with my class schedule had been overwhelming, but I needed the money. Now, with classes off my plate, I knew I could focus on working full-time and figuring out my next steps.

I constantly felt like I needed to do more with my life. I knew that working at a tanning salon forever was not the plan, but I also felt cornered in terms of what I could do next. Don’t get me wrong – I loved working at the tanning salon, and I was good at it too. Selling lotions and tanning products felt like second nature to me. For a few months there, I allowed myself to embrace the unknown and simply enjoy being young, living in the phase of life I was in.

It was during this time that I met Garrett, my current boyfriend. He encouraged me to explore different paths for my future, and I’m forever grateful for that. His mom also urged me to keep looking at options, and I owe them both so much for giving me that extra push. I started searching Indeed daily for job opportunities that could lead to a career that didn’t require a college degree. It took MONTHS of searching before anything truly sparked my interest, as I didn’t want to settle into something I’d end up hating.

In July, I found a job posting for Keller Williams Realty. The listing said, “mentorship and training provided with scholarship opportunities”, and it clicked – I realized real estate would be a perfect fit for me. I love helping people and speaking with others, and I could even incorporate my passion for Interior Design. Someone from the company reached out to ask a few questions, like “Are you already licensed?” and “Are you working on getting licensed?” Since I wasn’t yet, they sent me an application to apply for a scholarship with KW to help pay for some of the pre-licensing courses. At this point, I was sure this was off to the races, and I would be in Real Estate within the year.

What I didn’t anticipate was how difficult it would be to juggle working at the tanning salon, my pre-licensing course, my social life, and, on top of it all, I had started bartending in downtown Athens a few nights a week. I slowly worked through the pre-licensing course, and to be honest, there were weeks where I wouldn’t even touch it. I slacked off, and I’m embarrassed to admit that because if I’d given it more focus, I probably could have started in Real Estate well over a year ago. Could’ve, Should’ve, Would’ve. I can’t dwell too much on that, but I do wish I’d been more focused.

If you know anything about these courses, they only allow you access for a limited time before you either take the L or buy an extension. I probably bought three or four extensions, which I shouldn’t have had to do. While all of this was happening, I ended up leaving Palm Beach Tan and took a job as an Office Assistant at an Insurance Brokerage in Athens. I was still bartending downtown and even started coaching volleyball at a local club. This added to the already overflowing plate. During this time, I also got my Life Insurance license. Compared to the Real Estate pre-licensing course, that was a breeze!

Fast forward to May of 2023 – after what felt like an eternity, I finally completed the pre-licensing course and was ready for the exam. I had to go to downtown Atlanta to take the course exam. I took it… and failed. Badly. I was distraught. If I couldn’t even pass the course exam, how on earth was I ever going to make it through the state exam? Luckily, I had one more attempt before I’d be forced to retake a course. I locked in, studied for a week, and took my second attempt. To my disbelief, I had failed again.

At this point, I was crushed. I felt like a failure because how could I ever have a career in Real Estate? The guy who had proctored my exam reached out and explained there were other options if I still wanted to get my license. He referred me to the Winder KW (Atlanta Partners) or the Gainesville KW (Lanier Partners). I thought it through, and since Garrett was working in Buford at Singleton Marine, it made more sense to go with the Gainesville KW. I reached out to someone at Keller Williams Lanier Partners, and they set me up with a different pre-licensing course. I was off to the races—again.

This course was better for me; the coursework, the tests – everything just clicked. But once again, I didn’t give it the full focus it deserved. I was still bartending, working full-time at the Insurance brokerage, and coaching volleyball. I think I am hard on myself because I feel like I was slacking, but I was incredibly busy and just didn’t prioritize real estate the way I should have. I ended up buying extensions for this course too.

In January 2024, Garrett and I moved to the Gainesville area, and I thought I’d be starting real estate soon. But as much as I loved the idea of it, I wasn’t putting in the effort. Finally, in June 2024, I finished the course and was set to take the exam. This course allowed me to take the exam online, with an online proctor, which took some pressure off. Do I look back and laugh at myself for putting it off so long? Absolutely. But those first exam failures dented my confidence.

In July 2024, I added a second job—again. Y’all are probably wondering why I kept adding to my plate while trying to get through all of this. I needed the money, but it pushed me further from starting my career. I worked five nights a week as a wine server and was still full-time at the insurance brokerage for about two months. Finally, I realized I needed to make a change. Garrett started pushing me to take the state exam, and I had a mental breakdown about how much I was working and how little time I had for Real Estate. So, I adjusted my schedule with the Insurance Brokerage to part-time and worked remotely on my own hours.

October came, and I finally scheduled my first attempt at the state exam four months after finishing the pre-licensing course. When I took it, I failed. But I wasn’t as upset because I knew it was common for people to fail the first time. I scheduled another attempt for a month later, confident that, that would give me enough time to study, cut back my hours at my serving job and study hard. I failed again. This time, I was frustrated because I had put in the effort to pass it.

I scheduled my third attempt for December 3, just three days before the deadline to take my exam within the 6 months of passing my course. The pressure was on. I reduced my hours at my serving job even more and committed myself to working, eating, sleeping, and studying. For the weeks leading up to this exam, I was studying a minimum of three hours a day. By the time December 3 rolled around, I felt confident, and I passed!

Yes, it took me over two years to get my license, but I did it and I am incredibly proud of myself for not giving up. I was riding a high of excitement because I’d finally done it. Little did I know, that starting a career in Real Estate would be even harder than I thought.

As of January 25, 2025, I’ve officially had my license since December 5, 2024, but I have yet to close anything. Still, I’m confident that it is coming. Right now, I am focusing on lead generation, and I hope that next month, I can come back and share that I’ve either closed a deal or am about to.

Looking back, this journey has been anything but easy, but it’s shaped me into who I am today—someone who refuses to give up, even when the road gets tough. I’ve learned that perseverance truly does pay off, and while I’m just starting in the world of Real Estate, I’m excited to see where this path will take me.

I’ve always wanted to start a blog and now feels like the perfect time to finally take the leap. This blog will be my space to put myself out there, connect with others, and share my experiences, both as a real estate agent and as a woman in her 20s navigating life. I plan to mix things up with a blend of real estate, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and fitness content – because let’s be honest, like isn’t just about work, it’s about enjoying the little moments too.

I’m excited about what’s to come, and I can’t wait to bring you along with me on this journey. Stay tuned for more, because this is just the beginning!

XOXO, SAV