For the longest time, I was extremely anxious about the entire thought of going off to college. I was afraid I wouldn't get into the colleges I wanted to, and I didn't even know what college I wanted to go to. The beginning of my senior year consisted of filling out college applications and researching what school I thought I would like to attend. My two main choices were Meredith College and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I ended up choosing Meredith for multiple reasons. The main reason being the size and the location of the school. Meredith is small and close to home, which is something I decided I was going to need in order to be successful. I would have loved being close to the beach, but I know it would have ended up being a distraction from school and I would probably end up spending way to much time in the sun. So while I have many reasons for being excited about starting college that would apply to most schools, I have six reasons that are unique to my choice in attending Meredith.
1. A fresh start
For the most part Meredith will be a completely fresh start this fall. While a few girls from my high school are attending Meredith, I will be exposed to hundreds of new girls. I have already met so many great people, and I am so excited about making new friendships that will last a lifetime.
2. Not waking up at 6 a.m.
In high school I had to wake up before seven every morning. Now (hopefully) my earliest class will be eight o'clock or later. Also, since the campus is small it won't take me very long to get to class.
3. A reason to redecorate
I have always been obsessed with decorating and organizing, and now that I will be living in a dorm, I have a reason to get all new decorations, bedding and storage. Ever since my roommate and I met through Facebook, we have been planning what we want our dorm room to look like. The past few weeks I have been hitting up the local TJ Maxx and Bed Bath and Beyond for dorm stuff. After buying it, I have been so anxious to move in and put everything in its new place.
4. Close enough to home where I won't have to worry about what I bring to my dorm
Meredith is about 30 minutes from my home and 10 minutes from my dad's work. So if I need something I can have my dad bring it to me, or I can even run home if I need to. If I overpack, taking things back home won't be a big deal at all and the same if I don't bring enough. But most importantly I will be close to my family and my dogs. This was a determining factor for me, since I am a homebody.
5. Easier schedules
In high school, we had each of our classes every day of the week back to back. In college our classes won't meet every day and there will be time in between some of them. This is something I am really looking forward to.
6. "The best years of your life"
Everyone says college will be the best years of your life and that it flies by. A lot of people make lifelong friends in college and even find their partner there. I am beyond excited to see where life takes me, as these next few years will be critical to what the rest of my life is like. I am excited for all of the new experiences and independence. Aug. 20 can not come soon enough!
