It’s OK to not know where you want to go to college. When people ask me what grade I’m in and I reply with a chipper but nervous, “I’m going to be a senior!” I almost always get the follow up question of, “So, where do you want to go to college?”. This is the most dreaded question in the world. Right at that moment, a rising high school senior knows they have made a mistake. They have entered a conversation with an adult that can only lead downhill. This senior knows what is coming. They begin to mentally prepare for the series of questions about their future in which they know their mind will turn into a whirlwind of “I have no idea!”. If you have ever seen the episode of "Spongebob" where all of the tiny Spongebobs in his mind start burning all of the “files” that make up his memories, ability to speak, and even perform basic motor functions, then you have seen the inside of a senior’s mind during this conversation.

My point is that not everyone knows exactly where they want to go to college. While it is great if someone has one dream school, many people have a lot of schools that they could see themselves being happy to attend. Right now, there are a lot of schools that I like, and quite honestly, I haven’t found one school that is my absolute dream, and that is OK. I think people forget that going to college isn’t going to be amazing all the time. While college is a fantasy world in the movies, the real reason someone goes to college is to learn and expand their horizons. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong about having fun in college and wanting to love the school you attend. You need to enjoy the place you have to live for four years, but that does not mean it has to be your “perfect” school. A “perfect” school doesn’t even really exist, every single one of them has pros and cons. You have to find a school where you can learn and grow in an environment in which you feel comfortable. So, the next time an adult asks you about where you want to go to college, you might just need to explain why you don’t know yet.

For now, let us be seniors. Wherever we all end up next year will be the right place for us. Hopefully I will take my own advice and be happy knowing I will end up where I need to be and not stress about it too much in the meantime. All of us rising seniors have a very exciting time in our lives ahead of us and it would be a shame to be so worried and stressed that we miss out. Enjoy your senior year, try new things, and do your best to avoid those dreaded conversations that I mentioned. Here’s to the class of 2017!