The first semester of your Freshman year of college. You'll have to find your new major, new group of friends, new place to study, everything is new. This is the time to reinvent your self they say, find who you are, make lifelong friends. Everything you're experiencing seems so permanent. I'm sure the thoughts run through every new student's head, "What if I don't make lifelong friends? What if I chose the wrong major? What if I can't handle my classes?" Despite my hours of anxiety over the "right" decision, and worry that I would make the wrong one, I ended up in exactly the right place. This is the story of how i found my path.

Canisius wasn't a serious option in my college decision process at the start of my senior year of High School. It was so close to home (only an hour), and my dad went here. I thought I just applied because my Dad would've wanted me to. I couldn't have been further from the truth.

In High School, my dad would always talk about "being on the path". By this he meant that you were taking the steps you needed to get to the place you are meant to be. This was the center of his relationship, career, and college advice. Everything would turn out the right way, you just had to trust in God and his path for you. I didn't fully understand this until I made it to Canisius and thought about what led me here.

Everything led me to choose Canisius. The price, the connections I would have going in because of my dad, and most importantly, the feeling I got when I visited Campus. Now that I'm here, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I made friends so easily, got a great work study where I meet important people, and I feel like my classes are challenging but manageable. I am certainly where I am supposed to be, but "the path" doesn't stop there.

My choice of Canisius is part of my Dad's path as well; the story of how he got there is much more interesting than mine.

My Dad was born and raised in Fredonia, NY. It's a tiny town, really only known for it's SUNY school. He decided, through a mixture of convenience and parental expectation, to stay in Fredonia for college. Although I'm unclear on the specifics, he decided to transfer because of a girl. THAT'S RIGHT! He followed a girl to college. Not just any girl, a RANDOM girl who came up to him and kissed him for no reason. Really, I think he just saw it as an easy escape from the small town, so he transferred for his spring semester.

My Dad didn't end up with that girl, but he stayed at Canisius for his undergrad. He eventually moved back to the Fredonia area, and met my mom. I was raised in Fredonia too. It's just amazing to both of us that a random kiss from a girl is the reason that I found my perfect college. Coincidence? Maybe. But I like to think it was on our path.

For any reader who is stressing about choosing a college, a major, or making any decision, I tell you my story to assure you that it will all work out. Just do your best, be a good person, work hard and the path will reveal itself to you.