A memory popped up on my Facebook yesterday, a year ago I received my first acceptance. It seems like forever ago that I was first accepted, but in the same sense, I remember it like it was yesterday. It will be the same for you, fly by but be engrained in your mind. Your acceptances (and denials) have probably started to roll in, or will very soon.
A year ago, I didn't know what my major was going to be. I applied to half my schools for one major and half the other. Like, I really didn't know. But that's okay, and it is if you don't know either. No matter what you begin with, you can always change your mind. If you decide to change your major, you won't be alone with that choice and you will be okay. You don't have to know where you'll be a year from now or even years from now.
There are so many opinions which will be circling around you. Your mom may like one school, your dad likes the cheapest, your grandma likes where she went, your best friend likes what's closet to her's, and your dog wants you to stay home. But in the end, it's your choice. You will be the one living there. You will be the one studying there. It's your college education, do what you think is right.
How do you pick the right school? I still don't know. For me, I just felt it. I had a feeling it's where I was supposed to be, but it's not where my parents loved. I heavily considered where my dad liked, he loved it there. While I liked it, it's not where I felt was right. If you don't have a feeling, that's okay too. I didn't think I was going to until I visited the school that wasn't on the Common App and required an extra essay that my mom made me apply to. (So, if there's a school like that, well, apply because you may just end up there.)
Consider different things. If you decide to change your major, are there options for you? Is there more than one place to eat in case you get sick of the dining hall? What're the people you've met like? What reputation does the school have? What was the atmosphere like? Is the weather something you'll be comfortable with? Will the class sizes be suitable for you? How far of a walk is it to get to class or the dining hall and are you willing to walk it all the time? There are so many different factors, and you may not love them all, but if you choose the right place you'll fall in love with them over time.
I know what you're feeling. That first acceptance is a sigh of relief, you have someplace to go. But that does not mean it is the school for you. Sadly, there isn't a perfect equation for picking a college. There are so many factors and each factor's weight will change depending on the individual. For some, money will matter most. For others, the sports will. And for others, something else may matter more. The best advice I can give you is to believe in yourself and your decision.
I'm not going to lie to you, it's a huge choice. Some people love where they go, some hate it, and some pretend to love it in order to uphold a positive social media feed. There's no guarantee you'll fall in love with where you go, but give it time. The first few weeks, months even, are tough. It's a whole new experience. But, give wherever you end up your all.
