Throughout the college search process, the one thing you hear the most often is “You get a feeling when you’ve found the right one”. For a high schooler who can’t figure out what that feeling is, and with a choice as severe as where to start the next journey in your life, it’s a frustrating process. I toured about 7 colleges before I decided on my home, and I didn’t believe in this “feeling” until I toured Oswego. It’s strange looking back at that acute yet defining moment in my life as a second-semester sophomore. It was November 2015. We were about ¾ of the way through the tour, walking through Shineman Science Center, and I just knew. I’m not even a science major, but regardless, at that moment I felt it. It was a feeling of ease and comfort, unlike any other than I’d felt on another campus. It was in this moment of peace, of knowing, where I knew I’d found the place where I belonged.
There were a lot of things that factored into my personal decision to attend Oswego. I knew I needed a place with accredited Communication and Theater programs. I was going in for PR but I knew my love for theater was still a prominent part of my life. Not only that, but I was looking for a school that had heart. At that point, I’d toured schools that heavily branded themselves as “prestigious”, but Oswego was the most genuine college I came across. They truly desire for their students to be the best versions of themselves, and they do that through kindness and connection with their students. Oswego helps you be the person you’re meant to be by truly fostering the interests of the students. My professors and mentors here genuinely believe in me, and because of that, I’ve found myself in the position of accepting awards, scholarships, and positions I never would’ve thought possible for myself at 18. You can go to many colleges and get a traditional academic experience, but at Oswego, you can make a life of your very own.
No matter what college you choose, top choice or not, you are going to doubt yourself. With a choice as big as college, there’s always going to be that thought of “what if I made the wrong decision?” In the first few weeks of freshman year when you’re finding your new life, that’s when your choices will face the most scrutiny. In those times, I encourage you to see it through for just a little longer. Everywhere life takes you has a purpose for you. Every experience you have has something to teach you. Maybe your top choice college won’t be for the entire 4 years, and that’s okay. I have friends that have transferred to different schools and found themselves happy at different institutions later on, yet still don’t regret going to their first school. Don’t blame your choices, because it’s more than likely there was truth in your choice. Where you end up has something to show you. Take from that what you can and take it step by step after that.