When I was looking at schools in my junior and senior year of high school, I always had a sort of longing in the back of my mind to go to a school in Philadelphia. When I narrowed my college choices down to two, and a Philadelphia school was not one of them, I was sure I was fine with my options. I even chose one and told my parents at the dinner table, unconvincingly and without much enthusiasm. When my friend messaged me hours before I made my final decision with a coach at one of my final two school choices, he asked me to look at this small university in Northeast Philadelphia. By the way, I did not have much choice… he had already told the coach I was coming to visit. I eventually made my decision, and I found myself driving toward Philadelphia on August 18, 2013.
It has been four years, which have been full of both some of the most amazing and most heartbreaking times of my life. I didn’t always love it as much as I do now. When I first arrived my freshman year, while I was excited to experience college, I missed home fiercely (I am a huge family person) and was living with a roommate in a dorm the length and width of my wingspan. Besides soccer, I was not nearly as involved in clubs and organizations as I am now, and I was still trying to find my place. As with many big decisions, it is natural to question if you made the right choice. However, I stuck it out, and I am so happy that I did.
Over the past four years, I have grown leaps and bounds in my faith and relationship with God, made lasting friendships, and have had amazing experiences that I may never have known if I did not end up here. I worked out on the Rocky Steps, had Gino's Cheesesteaks, and learned the train schedule into and home from Center City. I also realized that sometime last year, I started calling my school apartment “home.” I do not get homesick quite as often, and I have learned not to wish for time to pass by. I do not wish for Thanksgiving or Christmas Break or summer to get her more quickly (except maybe during finals week), because I realized that I would be wishing my life and time away. When I am studying for a hard exam, I don’t wish that it would be over, because then I wouldn’t be able to take a break and go laugh with my roommates. When I feel overwhelmed, I think of how blessed I am to be here. When I graduate in May, I am going to immensely miss this little school on Frankford Ave and everyone who has become my family.
No matter where you go to school, and no matter where you go in life, there may always be something that can cause your experience to be less than what you hoped for. If and when this happens to you, don’t think you are alone. Whether it’s a bad roommate, a tough year with classes, or just your first time living away from home, hang in there. For me, it did get better, and it will for you too. Talk about the good more than the bad, and you’ll find yourself happier. Pick out the nice things about people rather than the ugly, and you’ll find yourself smiling more. Pray, get involved, say hi to people when you walk by them, and learn what you like to do, and you’ll find yourself.
