There are thousands of colleges and universities throughout the United States and every year high school students have to decide what is the next step for them. Everyone has a different agenda and goals concerning their futures. Myself and nearly 1,600 others made the interesting decision to attend Norwich University as a member of its Corps of Cadets. Not many make this choice and decide to sacrifice a “normal” college experience.

Attending Norwich means you want more than the average experience. After all, we consistently hear the phrase “Expect Challenge, Achieve Distinction.” How many higher education institutions can offer you that?

Norwich is a senior military college and the oldest private military college, bolstering the prestige of the university which has been around since 1819. If you come to Norwich to be in the Corps you generally are looking to serve your country in the future and there aren't many places in a better position to put you on that path. In my opinion only our service academies are better. From your first day here at Norwich you are thrown into the fire, expected to adapt and thrive in the hardships warranted by such an institute. If you want “normal,” I can assure you the "'Wick" as we call it, is not for you.

Your typical college will pitch you a good education, a beautiful campus and a plethora of extra-curricular activities. Who can say no to that? All potential college students are in search of the perfect match for them. Every college kid wants to have a good time and actually enjoy their time at a school. Honestly when people think college their imaginations race with images of partying, late nights, drinking and all-nighters. Is that all college should be about?

When I gave Norwich the University the nod as where I wanted to continue my education it was met with much resistance. Why there? Why Vermont? What’s the Demographics there? These are all questions I was quickly assaulted with, but I had already made my decision. I was so sure I didn't even visit. To this day I’m happy with my decision I now prepare for my junior year.

Being from Florida, I seemed like a madman as I gave up the warm weather and party atmosphere for the cold weathers of Vermont to experience a military lifestyle. All of my friends were going to USF, University of Florida, University of Miami, Penn State and Florida State. These are all top notch institutes that are wonderful locations but it just never felt like the place for me. Honestly as a Rook I wondered how different life would’ve been if I went to school with my friends.

They didn’t have to be up at 0530 as a freshman, have formation or have cadre breathing down their necks waiting for the opportunity to pounce on your mistakes. I’d email friends and see how life was. They made college life seem wonderful as they spoke of not getting out of bed until 1100, the party they went to last weekend and so on. All I had to compete with their stories were tales of how my rack was messed up and my Platoon Sergeant found out or how I was on the wall for pass-down. The scale seemed to balance in their favor. Yet I never had it in me to leave because I knew Norwich was what I wanted.

If you ask most cadets we will all have something to complain about but we won’t leave. What we get here makes us all better leaders and prepares us to be true examples of success. We all refuse to quit and push through as we all know the end will justify the means. Since I’ve been here I have grown as well met many important leaders in our military such as Gen. Colin Powell and Gen. Milley, our current Army Chief of Staff. You don’t get those opportunities at a “normal” college. So I ask, am I truly missing out?