Nothing in life is ever easy. Trust me when I tell you that. You probably know this after going through half of senior year and attempting to pick the right pace to spend the next four years of your life.

There are so many things out in the world that tell you what you should do when it comes to this decision. People say that you should choose the college with the best name. Strive to go where you are happy. People say that you should take a year at home if you’re not ready to go off to college. Go anyway.

Here is why.

There are many colleges that have great names, but that doesn’t mean that they will be a good fit for you. The reputation of a college says a lot about the people that run it and, more importantly, the people that attend it. If you chose a college based on the name of it as opposed to its core values, people, and opportunities, you will inevitably be unhappy.

College is where you will spend the next four years and will learn so much more about yourself and what you want than ever before. Attend a college that makes you happy. Attend a college that you love so much that you want to make it better. That will make you better.

Going to college is inevitably going to be scary. It is a huge change that you need to take on whether you feel that you are prepared or not. Take a chance even though you are scared, and go. Don’t stay home because you are comfortable there. Nothing good ever comes in your comfort zone.

Generally, this choice is an extremely difficult one if you haven’t done your research. You need to know what you want in a school because if you know you want a football team and attend a school without one, then you will be disappointed.

Look into the programs, extracirculars, and lifestyle of each school. College is so much more than just class, so you need to enjoy the extracurricular opportunities, lifestyle, and people that you surround yourself with to be happy.

Find a place that has absolutely everything you want because, trust me, it's out there and everyone deserves to be happy.

Let me tell you a short story. When I was looking to attend college I toured many different schools in warm weather because I needed to get out of the cold New York winters. They were interesting. They were fun and they had what I wanted when I was younger: warm weather. I didn’t know what I should be looking for until I stepped on the campus of the school I now attend. There was something completely different about being here: I just loved it. I loved the atmosphere, the sunshine, the people, the buildings, the spirit. I loved absolutely everything, and I knew in that moment that I needed to attend school here.

It was the feeling that I could thrive in this place, make this place a better place, and become a better person in the process. That feeling drove me to do more research on my school, and everything I found was another thing that I loved about it. In a way, I had it easy. That ultimate feeling of necessity was what drove me throughout high school. Everything I did was to better myself to make sure I could attend school at the single place I loved and saw myself. It was a home before I ever lived there, and I couldn’t say that about just any place.

Now I'm happier than I have ever been, and while a bunch of my friends from high school are transferring and starting over, I finally love going to school.

I wish this feeling for everyone, but the reality is that it's hard to find. Some people don’t ever get such a feeling when looking at their future, and that's OK. It might even be easier because then you’re not heartbroken if you don’t get into your dream school.

Ultimately, strive to find a school that has all the criteria that will make you happy. Whether that be specific sports, extracurricular activities, a specific major, or maybe even the weather, find what is important to you and what will make you happy, and follow it.