It all really started when I was 11. My oldest brother had made his decision to go to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where my sister-in-law also attended. After his first year, I was head over heels for UWEC. As my brother’s college career continued, he showed me how amazing the campus and university was. Every time I stepped foot in the city or on the campus, I never wanted to leave, it felt like home. Just when I thought the university couldn’t get any better, I was 15 when my third oldest brother had also started at UW Eau-Claire. At this point, I knew three people who have attended UWEC. Mind you, this was four years later from when I first discovered this college, and my love for it had only increased.

Attending the university was now something of high importance to me. I was excited for the year you declare you are an “insert your college mascot”, and the senior year of course—the last year before you become a responsible adult with job/college duties. I was that one senior that really couldn’t wait to graduate and endure the college life. I wish I would have focused more on my senior year and appreciated it.

If you haven’t graduated yet, here is my advice: live in the moment. I made the mistake of wishing away my senior year. Take your senior year to make memories, laugh, and give everything your all. Make a name for yourself whether it be through sports, academics, clubs, or within your community. Senior year is a crucial year of high school.

Okay, I’ll get off my soap box and end my spiel. But anyways, long before senior year, I knew I wanted to go to UWEC, it was just getting accepted that was left—which I successfully had done. This was my school, and it had been even before I was accepted. That is how I knew this school was my home, where I would learn, live, teach, and create forever long friends who turned into family.

In my life after graduation, things had taken place, things that changed and impacted my life. I moved to a new town with new roommates and essentially a new life. A new life that caused me to second guess my once beloved college. I became someone different; not worse or not better, just different. I neglected to get a job and did very little that summer. I almost let go of my dream and future at UWEC. But with the assistance of my family, I went to pursue my dream. I had been talking to my soon to be Blugold roommate since the end of my senior year, continuing to be helpful with every single dilemma I had even without meeting me. That is when I knew we were going to be “roommate goals”. We had similar likes, dislikes, thoughts, and feelings. We were well on our way to roommate goals, or so I thought.

Things changed, things I regret took place, and a friendship was lost. Words to my first college roommate, “Though things didn’t go like both of us planned, I wouldn’t have wanted any other roommate. You honestly gave me advice that saved me, and some advice that I wish I would have taken. You are truly a strong, beautiful, independent, positive person; one who wanted to prove that she could and would do great things. I do regret losing out on the opportunity of making a great friend, but thank you again for everything you did.”

My next regret was not connecting with my campus or university. Even though I lived on campus, I felt distant to it all. I didn’t make as many friends as I wished, wasn’t in any club, sorority, or in any sports. I lived on Netflix, lying in bed, and eating food. I had truly wasted the first couple of months of college. Not working hard enough, and gaining weight pound by pound. Before leaving I wasn’t having the greatest college experience and at first, I blamed the college. And to be truthful after leaving and moving to an apartment in Madison, I have no right to blame this and my accepting college. I was the sole reason for not receiving the fun and life changing freshman year of college. I had forced myself to a sad and unexciting freshman year. The college itself was amazing, but what I was doing to myself was not.

It was the final straw that made me give up and leave college. The thought raised? Are you regretting this decision now? And to that, I say, “yes and no”. And today, right now I regret not being able to be like one of the very many proud college freshmen who has just posted about how they successfully completed and loved their first year. I envy every post about how finals kicked their butt. What I don’t regret is getting to live a different life. I moved into an apartment with five other people. It has been an experience that I cannot deny has helped me be myself again. I am currently registered for next fall at UWEC, and proud to say I am ready to return home. I say "home" because that’s what it is, home.

The main reason for this long story? Life is full of difficulties, some of which cause your life to change. As I have been told for years, life won’t always go as planned, you need to make time to take a breath and relax. Don’t ever be afraid to take the path less traveled, you will never know the amazing things that can come of it, but don’t ever be afraid to return home. I learned that it’s never too late to change things.