Hey high schooler, here are 7 things you need to hear:

As a junior/senior in high school, one is constantly pounded with two questions: Where are you going to college? What is your major? These are so common but also so tough to answer. For the past 18 years of our lives, we are told where we are going to live, what classes we are going to take, where we are going to school, etc. and now we are given the freedom to choose a new city to live in and our career path. We are no longer restricted within the borders of a town or education. I started out with the dreams of going to Tulane, but after looking at tuition costs reality hit that there was no way I was going there for undergrad. I then decided between Ole Miss and Mississippi State—two of the most common SEC schools for Mississippians.

Senior year I made the decision to go to Mississippi State. I never even toured the campus. I visited twice on huge weekends—Bulldog Bash and Super Bulldog Weekend. I literally fell in love, but that was the stupidest decision I have ever made in my entire life. So here is one lesson to you high schoolers:

1. Avoid special occasions at first.

Go sit in on a class with a friend. Walk campus during a cold day, not only when its Fall. Meet with potential advisors and professors. Research opportunities. Do everything you can to make it feel like you are already a student there.

Around May of senior year, yes May—about three weeks before graduation—I had a MENTAL breakdown. I remember waking up one morning and just started crying as I got my acceptance letter into the Honors College at MSU. I wasn’t crying because I was happy I got in, I cried because I realized Mississippi State was not the school for me and that acceptance letter gave me another reason to attend there. That day, I went to my favorite teacher and one of the biggest role models during my high school career—Catherine Bradberry—and broke down. She attended Ole Miss, but is very good at staying neutral when it came to decisions about this. I started to explain my reasonings of why I didn’t want to transfer and she almost laughed at me. I don’t blame her because my number one reason was: “I already have a roommate and I don’t want to leave her without a roommate this late in the game.” Here is lesson two:

2. Do NOT let anyone or anything affect your college decision.

I honestly did not want to break the news to my roommate that I wasn’t attending MSU. We had our dorms etc planned to a T and I just felt like a terrible friend to leave her. Plot twist: we both transferred schools after first semester. She is now at USM and I am at Ole Miss…pretty opposite, right? So do not let anything interfere. You girls with boyfriends, it doesn’t matter. Let him go play baseball wherever he wants, don’t follow. Let him go 16 hours away, don’t follow. Let him go to the same school as you, don’t be attached at the hip. College is a time to grow and find yourself, not stick to your old ways. My best friend/high school counselor, Cecilia Zahedi, did her best at trying to make me see both sides of both schools. She has so much wisdom and love when it comes to things like this—actually with everything. So get close with your teachers and counselors because they’ll have your best interest at heart.

Well obviously you know by now that I went to MSU. I made the decision about September of first semester that I was going to Ole Miss. I would text my best friend, Haley Hydrick, every single day just saying how miserable I was at MSU and how I couldn’t wait to get to Ole Miss. Rule number 3:

3. Never bash another school.

This is one thing I never did unless I was joking. I never said, “this place sucks so bad”. I always just told people, “I have had fun here, but I see myself more at Ole Miss.” You never want to offend anyone or deteriorate a school’s reputation just because you didn’t enjoy it because someone else will absolutely love it. Also, never listen to a biased person about the differences between these two schools because it will affect you so much. Here comes rule #4:

4. Do not believe stereotypes.

Such a famous statement made by high schoolers: “MSU is just so down-to-earth and Ole Miss is just full of rich, snobby people.” FALSE. I cannot stress that enough. This is the most false statement I have ever read in my life. Just trust me, I have spent time at both. So high schoolers, parents, students that don’t attend the school, here is a lesson for you:
A. Do not fill your kids heads with this stereotype especially if you never attended the school or college at all. Even if you did attend the school, you attended it 20+ years ago so you have no idea how it is now.
B. There are snobby people everywhere. Both schools have it. Every high school has it. Every family has it. It’s everywhere—literally. It is your choice to be surrounded by it.
C. There are genuine people everywhere. Like I just said about snobby people, it is true for genuine people also. I have met so many sincere people and fake people at both schools. It happens. Once again, choose your surroundings.
D. Someone will always be prettier, skinnier, richer, more popular, etc than you. Who cares, really? No matter where you are, you will compare yourself to others and realize that they have more materialistic things than you or whatever. You just have to realize that you cannot compare yourself to anyone because every person is their own individual person. Going into college, one must be strong enough to respect themselves.
E. Ole Miss is not the only school with drugs. There are drugs in high schools, cities, and every college. The access is there. You just have to be strong enough to avoid it and stick to your morals.

5. Do not base your college off of your major.

Never let a major decide your college for you because you’re going to change once or twice, or maybe even more. One of my reasons I chose MSU is because my major was Chemical Engineering. Two weeks into school, I knew I wanted to change to Finance. I stuck it out with Chem Eng for the semester, but I am now at Ole Miss undeclared focusing towards Accounting or Pre-Law. So just go somewhere that gives you options.

Now, once you decide on a school you must GET INVOLVED.

6. Get involved.

At MSU, I did nearly nothing to make myself love it. I was so focused on transferring to Ole Miss, I never gave MSU a chance. I joined two clubs all semester and was not even truly involved in them. I attended meetings but that was it. Now that I am at Ole Miss, I am so involved that I am always busy. Being a transfer mid-year it is tough to join things, but you can still help out. Another way I have gotten involved is by learning the history and traditions at Ole Miss, meeting with my professors, attending sporting events, dining at local restaurants, and just appreciating the city and school. Wherever you go, learn about it because the more you know, the more you love it. I promise.

7. Go to college with a strong faith.

It is so easy to stray away from your morals and faith when you’re in college. You get really busy with school work so you stop praying so much, you stop attending bible studies, etc. You sometimes fall into the party scene which results in sleeping late on Sundays so you skip church. You start to get the mentality that you are young and can deal with your faith later. Don’t do this. You will feel so much better about yourself if you stand up for what you believe in and devote at least 30 minutes of your day to Christ. Remember that you’re in college for one reason—an education. Keep priorities straight.

So you high schoolers, listen to me. You cannot make a wrong decision. If you put forth the effort to love your school and city, you truly will. These 4 years are going to be the most transitional, tough, enjoyable, and educational years of your life all at once. So be ready. Be open-minded. Get involved. Appreciate your experiences. Take advantage of your opportunities. Stick to your faith. Surround yourself with people like you, and also not like you to explore. But just be ready—it’s going to be the best thing you’ve experienced so far.