I grew up outside of Memphis in the town of Collierville. Throughout my time in school there, everyone talked about growing up and moving away. My classmates would tell me they planned on going to UT or Alabama or Ole Miss. They had big dreams of moving hours away from home, to live their lives for the first time without their parents, to leave behind the people they grew up with, and to get away from the people who had surrounded them for years. I, on the other hand, chose to stay close to home.

All throughout high school I heard how "lame" it was to go to Memphis, that the people who ended up there chose it because it was close to home. That they were going to be stuck in Memphis forever, that they had no ambitions or they wanted to go to Memphis because it was the "easy route." They talked about getting away and that going to Memphis meant being stuck with the same people from high school. And honestly, I thought the same thing, too.

For most of my life, I had planned on going to the University of Arkansas; I was born and raised a Razorback fan and I wanted to please my family. I had it all figured out. I was going to work hard through school, get a high score on the ACT, get amazing scholarships. I thought that it was my only choice.

High school was a lot more difficult than I anticipated, and I had to work hard to get the grades I had planned on. I joined the color guard which took up a lot of time, between competitive band and winter guard, balancing school with extracurriculars got the better of me sometimes. But I still had my goal set on Arkansas. Then, the summer before junior year, I got into a relationship with my current boyfriend, who decided to go to Memphis.

Now, don't get the impression that I followed my boyfriend to college, because I surely did not. He is a year older than me, so my senior year of high school was spent visiting one another as much as possible. Whether it was him coming home on the weekends that there wasn't a football game, or my mother taking me to see him, especially when the Tigers played at home, we spent as much time together as possible. Eventually, I decided Arkansas was not the school for me after three failed attempts at applying.

I chose Memphis because I loved the atmosphere surrounding the campus. I decided it was going to be a good place for me to grow as a student and as a person. After the football games, and the times I got to hang out on campus when we didn't have school, I realized that I enjoyed the days I got to spend at the university, (not just because I was with my significant other.) So, I applied and was accepted, and we celebrated the fact that I had a plan for college.

To me, it doesn't matter that I live 30 minutes down the road. In fact, it's even better. I live at home currently, and commute to school every day. I enjoy living with my father and all of my pets. I love knowing that home is just a short ride down the highway. I love my campus, and my friends, and my sisters. I love that I can see my parents whenever I want, in person. I can play with my dogs any day, and grab lunch with my brother between classes. I get to come home to my bed and I don't have to decide which clothes to bring to school with me at the beginning of the semester. I've always loved my hometown and I'm glad that it's close enough to go to my favorite school.

To all the people from high school who make fun of those of us who decided to go to Memphis, I'm sorry you don't get to experience the beauty of this school and the opportunities it provides. It's not the easy route, either. I'm struggling through my classes just like the rest of you guys. I don't see many people that I went to high school with, and if I do, I'm glad to see that they have grown up, too- that they enjoy the campus and the community as much as I do, and that they don't regret their choice, either. I didn't choose Memphis because of my significant other, or because I don't have much ambition. Truthfully, I have big plans for my life, all because of where I go to school, and I'm lucky that my best friend is by my side. One day, I plan on leaving this city and finding another one I love just as much. But, for now, I am lucky to be where I am. Because of Memphis, I am becoming someone I can love.

It shouldn't matter where I go to school. No matter what, I am going to walk across a stage with a cap and gown on and receive a Bachelor's degree. I will get a job doing what I enjoy, and maybe I will work with my former high school classmates. It's not Harvard or Arkansas or even Christian Brothers, but I don't care. I chose the best school for me. I love being a Tiger and I'm so glad that I go to the U of M.