It was Open House, and my very first time walking onto the lush green grasses of the campus. It was the month of October, my absolute favorite time of year, and the air was crisp. I had arrived with my very best friend, Angela, and my father. It was hard to hide the amazement upon our faces, as we looked at each building. The detailed architecture of each building was immaculate, and I marveled as I noticed the campus wasn't as small as people have said. It was formatted into one big circle, and for some reason, that spoke to me. One big circle, one big family.

I had a wonderful tour guide for Open House, named Breann, who spoke highly of the school and her experiences here. She, and every other person representing Molloy that day welcomed us with open arms and grand smiles. Breann asked each of us in the group what our intended majors were, and our names. She then led us through the campus introducing each building and pointing the ones geared to accommodate our specific majors. She told us about the new building being constructed, the Hagan Center, for nursing majors. I knew it was going to be beautiful, just like the rest of this school. I stood in awe, as I was informed that Molloy is third in the state for undergraduate nursing, right under Columbia and New York University. I looked up at the buildings once again, an ever present “wow” upon my lips.

At Open House, they held a small seminar for students interested in the renowned Honor’s Program, led by Professor Daniel McGann, who taught Honors Music History. I entered the room where the seminar was taking place, and grabbed a seat. Mr. McGann stood at the front of the room, and he spoke with the utmost amount of certainty within each word. He made the room laugh but definitely got the point across that it was a program to be taken seriously. He conveyed the criteria and the expectations of being in such a program. Applications would have to be submitted and thus, interviews would be set forth. My eyes lit up as he discussed the travel abroad opportunities; such as the Global Studies Seminar in Salzburg, Austria that the students get to take, and I was even more excited at the minimal amount of money the students would have to pay to attend. The benefits of being in such a program were also beyond attractive, and I left the room at the end of his presentation giddy.

I left Open House that day, never wanting to leave. The wonderful people clad in maroon, the smiles they adorned on their faces. The way they all asked me if I liked the school, which I replied with an over enthusiastic nod of my head. The mascot being a lion, symbolic of strength, courage, and leadership. My mind was set to place Molloy as my #1 choice school, and I wished for Professor McGann to be my teacher. His words resonated with me, and his demeanor was pleasurable to all who were in that room. I knew that's what it would be like every time I sat in these seats as his student. I was more than excited about this place.

I returned on Accepted Students Day in April with a tremendous smile, and realized when I entered Madison Theater that they had divided us by our majors. I was panicked, thinking that the friends that I had already made due to the Molloy 2020 Facebook page were either Accounting, Speech, or Nursing; and I was a Biology major. I sat down in a seat, where I was greeted by a lovely and bright Student Ambassador named Danielle. She told me about how she was on the Dance Team, and that Molloy is the right place to be. Other people potentially attending Molloy in September sat around me, and I started talking to them about what they wanted to do with the Biology major, why they chose it. The school broke us up by major for this reason, to get to know people who might be in our classes starting this fall. Danielle took us to a Science Lab, where we conducted two lab experiments to make "Slime." It was incredible, and I was lucky enough to meet one of the Science teachers who conducted the demonstration, and he brought us to the brand new Biology research wing; which really catered to my senses. It was a really good day, and once again, I had fallen in love with Molloy.

During the month of May, I had my audition for Molloy's String Orchestral group. I had prepared two pieces as instructed, one fast paced and one slow. Playing the violin has always been a passion of mine, and my biggest fear was not being able to continue in college and losing that talent. I performed parts of the two pieces for the lady who was reviewing me, and I couldn't get my hands to stop sweating. I was so nervous. I played my best, and that apparently was enough, because she granted me admission into the ensemble. Getting into the group gave me the insight that Music is something I always want to have in my life. I always want to have that fire burning inside of me, and I want to constantly be learning new things about it. It was then and there that I decided to be a Music minor, and that decision could not have happened without the support from the Music department at Molloy. I also decided that I would check out other clubs and societies, such as Student Government, to further enhance my college experience.

Recently, I made the trek to Molloy in order to attend Orientation. I packed an overnight bag and drove. Once the campus was in my sights, I couldn't maintain my composure any longer, and I parked my car and ran out with my bag and pillow to hug my friends. After I checked into my room and got all settled, I was placed into a group with two Orientation Leaders, Anne, and Justin. Let me just tell you, Anne was the brightest ball of the sunshine I had ever encountered, and Justin was just so funny, that the two of them made the entirety of our group so comfortable. We played games and took part in icebreakers and workshops. Anne and Justin kept reassuring us that if we have any questions, no matter how dumb or embarrassing, that we should ask them because at one point they were us, they were in our shoes. The day was composed of fun things like a Money Game Show, and a movie on the lawn. Orientation was the best experience by far, and it inspired me to get involved on campus right away. It also really cemented my belief that Molloy was the right choice because the friendships I made there and the memories were everlasting. It also made me really want to become an Orientation Leader, and maybe I can be as great as Anne and Justin, as well as Danielle and Breann.

I received my letter in the mail at one point, informing me that I had been accepted into the Honor's Program at Molloy, and I was speechless. I would be going to Germany and Austria like Mr. McGann had discussed, and I would have him as a teacher. A really close friend of mine from high school, Megan, had also been accepted, which was the best news. This meant traveling together, and partaking in some select Honors classes together; yet another reason to be incredibly excited to attend. I couldn't stop thinking, that my good friend and I would be taking on the world together. I was really looking forward to it.

After retrieving my acceptance, I committed to the college, and I can't convey to you what a great decision it's been. I can honestly say that the people I've met and friends I've made have changed me for the better, and school isn't even in session yet. If you are younger, and you're looking into colleges, I would highly recommend Molloy College. It's been the best decision I've made in a while. I felt as though I chose Molloy, and it welcomed me with just as much enthusiasm, if not more so. I can't wait to make this place, this school that captured my heart, my new home, and I can't wait to be a part of this big family. So much so, that I'm counting down the days until classes start. As of right now: 47!