We all usually feel safe in our homes, jumping into bed after an easy day at school your senior year. Senior year is busy, but a joyful busy. We find ourselves applying for college, writing last minute AP essay, hanging out with our longtime friends that we are soon to maybe never talk to again. We are preparing ourselves for the future, because only having two classes a day, and maybe a job, leaves our minds enough time to wonder and plan what is coming next.

I battled a long time trying to decide whether I wanted to go to the community college in my hometown or head out somewhere else. Community College was the thing to do, that is what everyone did, and financially it is what you should do. I would have been able to attend my community college completely free, while also receiving money back in the process. I would have legit been paid to go to college there, but something inside me never cared for the money. I craved the experience of a four-year college experience.

I wanted to go into the healthcare field my whole high school career, and I worked to pick which field. I eventually landed on nurse, physician, or pharmaceutical sales. In my high school, we offered a "pre-nursing" course, and after completing the two-year course, my teacher said my chances were high if I wanted to go ahead a dual enroll to take my nursing school prereqs and apply. I could have started nursing school right after high school. I would have been halfway to a nursing career at 19 and financially secure. However, I still chose to opt out and apply to MSU, The W, Union University, and Mississippi College. I knew I wanted to attend a four-year in Mississippi because even out of state tuition didn't appeal to me. I wanted to be out of my comfort zone.

Everyone says that going to a community college is like going to a bigger high school all over again. So, in my opinion, that means if you know how to climb the social hierarchy, it will be like that all over again.

It took a lot of convincing my mom to let me go to Mississippi State University, because of the financial weigh-ins each school had. My mom thought I was making a dumb mistake choosing to go to Mississippi State if I was going to get paid to go to nursing school. Luckily, she understood where I was coming from when telling her all the reasons why I wanted to do my undergrad in Starkville.

I wanted the new friends, the new situations, the late-night library study groups, the fun weekends, and the football game tailgates.

Also, a couple of girls from my high school were also attending next year and that eased her mind when she thought I was going to be alone. I found my roommate and we were ready to start packing our things and begin freshman year.

I was unsure where I wanted to get involved in college because there were so many options and different things I could do. I started with Freshman Council and made friends doing that. I also joined a sorority as a freshman.

I know there is a lot of weigh-ins when trying to decide which to do. But the large classes, the coffee runs with new class friends, the study groups, the lunch dates, the gym days, the cafeteria, the Friday late nights, the Saturday tailgates, the Cookout runs, the watermelon fest and the movie nights were something I could never want to take back. Money couldn't buy this happiness that I found at MSU.

I am very thankful I went this route because my eyes were opened to so many more opportunities than I thought I was ready for. I feel so lucky every day that I gave myself the opportunity to experience my undergrad this way for 4 years rather than just 2.

I hope you see the joy that is waiting for you at a University, but I hope you see the financial security that community colleges bring you as well. Student debt is real and rising, but in my eyes, everything will work out and be totally worth it.

Especially walking across the stage at Mississippi State graduation in May of 2022, with a degree that was well worth it all.