Dangercat, Ohio University '18
By the time I had entered my freshman year of high school, I had been bombarded with enough college-related questions to make me seriously consider stripping.
At the ripe old age of 14, I was repeatedly asked by the adults in my life (WHO APPARENTLY HAVE ZERO CHILL) about where I wanted to attend college, how far away I was comfortable going, what career path I wanted to take, and whether or not I was sure those were all good choices. What. The. Fuck.
Instead of responding the way I should have, i.e., "I got my period like last year and my biggest concern right now is whether or not my crush likes me back, you really think I'm making plans for the rest of my life?" I tried to muster up the most confident answer I could.
"The University of Delaware." I'd say with less-than-convincing ease, like I was totally the kind of girl that was researching this stuff in my early teenage years. Yeah, that was a good response. The University of Delaware is a great school. Actually, scratch that, it's the only school I can think of right now.
But as the years went on and college actually came on my radar, I couldn't shake the school that I had committed myself to as an Abercrombie-wearing, hair-crimping, braces-owning fourteen-year-old. Maybe I was right. Maybe I was a psychic. Maybe the school I knew nothing about years ago would wind up becoming my new home.
Senior year came quickly (thank God), and I dove head first into my college search. The University of Delaware checked off every single one of my requirements. When I stepped foot on campus for my first tour, I breathed easily imagining this as my place.
I kept my options open for fear of a UDel rejection letter. But in the end, I wound up falling in love with Ohio University, a school more than 400 miles from the college I thought I was obsessed with.
How could this be? The University of Delaware embodied my dream school. So why was I crying on another school's college tour, checking their website for my acceptance by the hour, and shopping online for their green and white apparel?
I felt like I was Tiger Woods and UDel was poor Elin Nordegren (actually, I had way more sympathy). Even when I received my highly anticipated acceptance letter from the first school I ever applied to, I just wasn't that excited anymore. With confusion and happiness, I accepted that this wasn't where I was going to spend the next four years.
Sometimes, dreams don't come true. And that's OK.
You envision your life a certain way and you put your all in a specific path, and then life does a complete 180 on you. I found The University of Delaware and made my mind up. I knew that was my place, my dream - until it wasn't. Somewhere else became my place, my dream and my home.
But at the end of the day, no matter where I chose, I'd still be drowning in just as much student debt. Yay college.
Read more at FlockU.com