May 1st, or National Decision Day, has just passed. To all my senior friends who have just committed to their dream schools, congratulations. This is a big step towards your future. Now, as you all may know, I attend Rider University where I have just completed my freshman year.

But let me tell you, Rider was not my first choice school.

Dear senior year me,

You applied to three schools, just three. Your friends applied to as many as ten to fifteen schools. You chose three schools to apply to and all three were relatively local. Two were 25 minutes away and the other was in Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes away. As my friends and I were receiving our acceptance letters, the only school I wanted to hear back from was my dream school, and no, at the time it wasn't Rider. The acceptance letters continued to pour in for my classmates. As for me, I received two acceptance letters with substantial scholarships but was not immediately accepted into my then dream school.

I felt defeated. My fellow classmates were committing to their second homes and I was still trying to find where I was supposed to belong. April 8, 2017, my family and I took another trip to Rider for Admitted Students Day where the Class of 2021 was warmly welcomed and provided all students with a fun-filled day including several activities, not to mention great food. I was greeted by AJ the Bronc and met friendly staff and professors, along with current students whose job it was to make the incoming freshman feel welcome. The event was well organized and gave me a different perspective than my previous visit. I went home that day thinking, Rider may very well be the place for me. Then just a few weeks later, I had made my decision official — I was going to be a Rider Bronc.

To this day, I am beyond blessed to have chosen Rider to further my academic education. I am grateful for small classroom sizes, excellent, well-educated professors who are very approachable, and literally a few hundred clubs and organizations to join, and of course, the great friends I have made along the way. Without choosing Rider as my second home, I would not have joined the three organizations I am currently in, while serving on two executive boards. Without choosing Rider as my second home, I would not have received the education I've received thus far and will continue to receive with the help of my awesome academic advisor, staff and professors. Without choosing Rider as my second home, I wouldn't have had the best first year of school anywhere else.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason, as I have amazing opportunities waiting for me at Rider. Thank you, Rider, and I look forward to the next school year!