As a new semester begins, many freshmen are leaving home for the first time to live in a new town with new faces and opportunities. While many of these students will get to visit their families at break, Tarleton alumni, Emma Gingerich, made the decision to leave her Amish family in Missouri for a less structured lifestyle in Texas.

“I wrote the story after I realized how many people were interested in the Amish,” Gingerich said. “I wanted people to know what it’s like to leave everything behind and make it out in the real world.”

Gingerich moved to Harlingen, TX where she completed her associate’s degree then decided to come to Tarleton to finish her education.

“I decided to continue my bachelors in Agriculture and Tarleton seemed to be the best fit for me,” Gingerich said. “I really made the best choice.”

Since graduating from Tarleton, Gingerich has written the book “Runaway Amish Girl: The Great Escape” which portrays her life in the Amish community and how she made the difficult decision to leave her family and friends for a life with more freedom.

“I simply couldn’t see myself living with rules the rest of my life,” Gingerich said. “My story continues to follow my ups and downs after I left Amish, along with going back to visit and facing my heartbroken family.”

Though Gingerich was nervous to publish such a personal view of her life, she says she has gained enormous support, not only from other Amish runaways but from her peers living in typical lifestyles as well.

“At first I was scared, but it actually became a blessing because thousands of people have contacted me saying how much I’ve inspired them,” Gingerich said. “Hearing that is the best reward.”

With the Amish lifestyle becoming a popular subject in our culture today, Gingerich says she was happy to share a real story with readers as opposed to the fiction being portrayed in the media.

“I think the reason it is becoming so popular now is because the public finally realized that the Amish life is not as simple and carefree as the media had portrayed it,” Gingerich. “It seems like after enough Amish left the community and started writing their own stories, it became a lot more popular. It is a good thing as long as the stories stay real and not too farfetched, like ‘Amish Mafia’.”

Gingerich hopes to inspire others with her story and encourage people to stay positive.

“Amish or not, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel no matter the circumstances,” Gingerich said. “I love my life now and do not regret leaving the Amish. But I do miss my family and hope someday they can accept me for who I am.”