I think it is important to reflect on your own life, who you are, how you got to this point and if you're happy. When I reflect on these, I can accredit it to the things most people would: my family, my friends and my experiences. Yet, there is always one unlikely accreditation, my university. In my opinion, one of the happiest places on earth is the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
I attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst also known as UMass Amherst, UMass and even ZooMass. I go to a school with almost 30,000 students. UMass is considered a big school. It is not the biggest but it is definitely not the smallest.
As happy as I am now that I am a Minuteman, it was never my first choice. After a series of events, that at the time I could not have anticipated, I decided to attend UMass Amherst. Making the decision to attend a school out of state was not easy. I also knew only one other person from my graduating class that was attending my future university. Then before I could even catch my breath the purgatory of summer between high school and college was over. I was moving in.
Moving into college was one of the scariest, and saddest moments of my life. The size of my dorm was terrifying, and so was living with a stranger. Saying goodbye to my parents was heart wrenching. As they walked away I felt a moment of panic. I was alone, at a strange place, with no one. Instead of calling my parents the second they drove away, I went back inside my dorm.
That decision was to date, the best of my life. UMass is my one true love because it is everything to me.
UMass is tailgating for a football game and seeing a sea of maroon. UMass is Blarney (whether the cops want it to be or not). UMass is a tall library and constant construction. UMass is laying out on the Southwest Beach on a beautiful day. UMass is number two dining in the country. UMass is where I am studying. It is a place where I am pursing my passions and figuring out what interests me. UMass is where I am molding my future.
The most important thing that makes UMass what it is to me, are my friends here. Two years ago I did not know some really incredible people. Among every other reason, the people I have met here have made UMass what it means to me. Above all, UMass means finding life long friends.
So, as I reflect on my life. Who I am? I would argue this one is still a work in progress. How did I get here? My parents allowed and encouraged me to take a chance, I stepped outside of my comfort zone. Am I happy? Yes. I am happy in my life because of UMass. Maybe not every second of everyday, I still get stressed about school work, cry over boys (who usually don’t deserve it), and get caught up in the drama. But that’s ok. UMass Amherst has been an incredible experience thus far and I cannot wait to see what joy it brings me in the future.
