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" Well, I&amp;#039;m here!  The time I&amp;#039;ve anticipated for four years, is finally now-I&amp;#039;m in college! Leaving a city I&amp;#039;ve known my whole life was one of the biggest decisions I have made yet, but so far it&amp;#039;s definitely been worth it!  When making my decision, my friends and family always asked me, &amp;quot;Why Abilene Christian University?&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Where&amp;#039;s Abilene?&amp;quot; I sometimes felt as if I had to second guess myself or that no one supported my college decision. But as I settled into my dorm, progressed through Welcome Week, started my classes, and set off my independence, I recalled why I picked Abilene Christian University; I picked it for myself. I wanted to make my &amp;quot;when I grow up...&amp;quot; a reality here. The small atmosphere and sense of Wildcat pride feels like a new home to me now. While my mom was directing me to a big state school and my friends were going to the local university, I knew I needed to go to ACU for me. Although I don&amp;#039;t get to play with my dogs, lie in my own bed, or   have my friends and family hug me when needed most, I discovered a new chapter in my life. A chapter full of new friendships, working with Seventeen, successfully washing my clothes alone, sporting a fabulous zebra print dorm room, and having a blast at the first football game. While going from the city to a small town can be difficult, I feel confident that I made the right decision because you can still make your own fun in a small town; you just have to surround yourself with the right people. It&amp;#039;s okay to jump head first into this game of life. So for my first blog, I would like to thank the people who stuck by me throughout my high school years. Thank you for letting me embark into something new, and most importantly, for letting me go. To my parents- I&amp;#039;ll miss annoying you until you get aggravated, but I&amp;#039;ll love you forever and always. Then to my friends Alex, Sarah, Rachel, and Stephanie- I&amp;#039;ll miss the concerts, sleepovers, and simply the laughter with you girls; it&amp;#039;s been fun. And to all my other loved ones at home- thank you for impacting my high school years in some way, shape, or form. Finally, to my new friends, I can&amp;#039;t wait to continue this new chapter as a wildcat with you! :)  LoveLoveLove, Alexa "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a5456/alexa-a-new-chapter/>