True to college. True to you. Many people say that senior year is the best year of high school. Well, it is if you make it.
My experience has made me realize so much of what many may not know about the college process. By being the first-generation to go to college I didn’t know what to do, what to look out for, what to expect.
I always hear about my friends applying to prestigious schools and I get discouraged by it because those friends know what they are doing. I don’t. But who cares? They have their own road and I have my own. That is something I want everyone to recognize during their college process. Do not worry about what other people are doing, just know what you value and don’t let anyone talk you out of it.
For my college career, I wanted to do public health and be in a small school. However, many of the schools that offer what I want in college are out-of-state… When I told everyone, they flipped out. It was not common to have someone go out of state where I lived. Other people couldn’t understand why I chose to go out of state. They would always convince me and give me long speeches about how much better it would be for me to stay in state.
For months, I battled with myself mentally between what I want and what my friends, family, and counselors wanted. And in the end I never backed down on my decision to apply out-of-state. And guess what? I feel 100% happy and confident about my decision, because it is my future that I am planning. In the end, you should too. Don’t let anyone tell you what to choose, especially for college. Do what you believe is best for you and your future.