Choosing my college

Pictured in October 2013 in front of the dorm building I lived my freshman year. The elementary school I went to is named Woodland as well. 

When it came to applying for colleges in the fall of 2012 I had no idea where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. This decision would obviously change my life therefore I was obviously clueless. I thought I wanted to live relatively close to home, to go home every few weekends and live on a big campus. I applied to schools that fit that criteria and applied to Lasell, the college I attend now, on a whim. I didn't think I would like the school because I knew it was on the smaller side and more than four hours away from Syracuse.

I was leaning towards a medium-sized college in Ithaca, NY and I had my mind set on it but my dad wanted me to check out more colleges before committing. I also had my heart set on a university in Queens, but then again that was farther away too. I booked a tour at my college about a week before the deadline of May 1, when high school seniors have to make their decision of where they will be attending college. I had to make up my mind for my future and I thought that this tour would not matter much. The tour of the college was on a Monday so we traveled there on Saturday night to be able to explore the area of Boston on Sunday.

Before I booked the tour I did not know the college was in the Boston-area and when we walked around the city the day before the tour it all went uphill from there. It was my first trip to Boston ever and I ended up loving the city and its culture. The next day I was still unsure how I would feel about the campus and college itself but I knew I had to be open-minded.

Just as I ended up loving Boston, I ended up loving the school because of its close community, studies and location. Even though the drive there was more than four hours, I wanted to go there. The college was great for internships, it had created a good reputation for itself, changed a lot in a short amount of time and it is close to Boston. I chose to risk everything. I did love the idea of being away from home, being independent and having a city within easy access.




During my time so far I have taken risks that I did not know I wanted to take, like applying to become an editor of the college newspaper and actually getting a position. I also photograph a lot of school events and am part of clubs I never knew I was interested in. Here I have taken classes that I did not know could even be classes. I have branched out by adding another concentration to my major and a minor and trying things I would not have normally done. That's what college is about. 

I can definitely say that choosing my college was a huge risk and I put myself out there in the biggest way possible but I have benefited in the greatest way possible. I love Boston and am counting down the days until school starts so I can be back where I belong. I am more open to change and ideas in myself and that is important for self-growth. I've changed a lot and in good ways. I have had a lot of opportunities at my college and I am ready to have new opportunities while studying the next two years.