I absolutely love being in college, and not just because it's a definite step-up from the public high school system. I don't do the whole Greek-life party thing either, so the social aspect really isn't as big a deal for me. I don't live on campus, so I'm not someone who's feeling super psyched about my new-found independence. No, what I love so much about college - at the risk of sounding like a complete nerd - is the knowledge I've gained and continue to gain with each and every class.

I'm sure not all colleges are made equal, and not all professors can generate the same enthusiasm, but all of my classes have been extremely valuable. Even if the subject at hand is a bit more difficult or completely out of my field of interest, there's still something to be gained from each class. Some classes I've taken challenge my concepts of religion and the validity of faith. Some classes open my eyes to the mathematical flaws in voting systems - something I absolutely thought I wouldn't care too much for initially. I've taken a class that had me looking critically at fairy tales; I'll never be able to read those stories the same way again. I love that I've been learning how to be more open-minded, how to ask better questions, to be critical of what people tell me, to challenge everything I think I know. High school set a base for some of this, sure, but learning is a bit constrained when the focus is on testing and standards and meeting a certain level of academic requirements.

I appreciate the fact that I can look back on myself from even just last year and recognize that I've grown, that I've learned new things, that I've been able to improve myself. Even my required 8:30 AM classes held value and I'm glad that I can see that. It's all about being an active learner, about being eager to know more. But the environment matters, too. My college has given me the chance to really expand my knowledge, and I'm incredibly grateful for that.