In high school, the idea of staying in my small town and going to community college was horrifying. I made sure I got the perfect grades, acceptable SAT scores, and enough extracurriculars to make me the perfect college candidate because there was no way I would live in that town any longer than I had to. So, I applied to five universities and sat back and waited. As the acceptance letters started rolling in I got so excited. I visited all of the schools again and picked out Seton Hall University in Northern NJ (my home state) to spend my four years of college.

Orientation was overnight, and I’m thankful for that because it made me realize I wasn’t ready to leave home. I remember being there and thinking that I wasn’t ready to leave my parents, my dog; just anything I could think of. I remember telling myself I’d miss my co-workers at the part-time job I hated. That’s how you know you aren’t ready to leave home. So I told my parents and accepted defeat. The next day I enrolled in classes at my local community college.

Looking back at that choice, it was the best decision I ever made. So many people frown upon community college when in reality; I got a great education for free. I took all of my general education courses there, had an extremely high GPA, and transferred after the two years it takes to get an Associates degree.

I went through the applying process all over again, except it was easier this time with the Associates Degree. I got accepted to Fordham University, St. Johns University and the University of Delaware. I love New York City and I was so ready to spend the last two years of my undergraduate career there… until I toured UD. It has the stereotypical campus with a fantastic reputation. I realized that New York would always be there, but you only get that undergrad experience once, and I wanted the typical college experience.

I transferred in 2014 and immediately felt like this place was home. I met so many people that transferred and heard their horror stories at their old universities: nasty roommates, awful residence halls, inattentive professors… all things that can make you hate college. Listening to those stories made me so thankful that I wasn’t too ashamed to say I wasn’t ready. It made me realize that there is nothing wrong with saving money and going to community college because I skipped over having a bad college experience.

Now, I’m graduating this winter, and have no idea what to do with myself. I’m an (almost) 23-year-old English major who doesn’t want to teach, and I have no plans come January, but I’m realizing that that is okay. I didn’t know what would happen or where I would end up when I started college, and that ended up working out better than I could’ve ever expected. I transferred and the best experience with enough funny stories to last a lifetime. I found some of my best friends and a fantastic boyfriend here, all while getting a great education. This place has made me find myself in ways I didn’t know that I could, and no matter what happens after I graduate, I know that one of the best decisions I could’ve ever made was waiting to go away to college because I wouldn’t have the life that I do now.

So, no matter what happens, never be ashamed to say you aren’t ready to do something. No matter what it is, wait until you’re ready, and don’t worry about what other people think.