This is my story about why not getting into my dream school was the best thing that ever happened to me.

All my life, I aspired to go to Georgetown University and was practically born bleeding Hoya blue. I grew up on the sidelines of the Georgetown University lacrosse field, cheering on my cousin, Neal.

I fell in love with Georgetown at a young age, and my life practically revolved around it. If I wasn’t at my own school or at home, I would probably be found at a Georgetown University sporting event with my friends. I did everything I possibly could do be on campus.

I did the field hockey camp there, the lacrosse camp, the softball camp and sports industry management camp. I shadowed the men’s lacrosse trainer. Though I knew I was applying to a reach school, I thought the Georgetown admissions office would see my pure passion and love for Georgetown University. I still remember the day I was rejected from my dream school, but little did I know that this would be the best thing that ever happened to me.

Of course, upon receiving the news of my rejection, I was devastated and didn’t know what to do to myself. I re-visited a lot of the schools on my list, and surprisingly, one of the schools in the middle ended up being the school that captured my heart and won me over. I learned that ultimately, I want to be at a school that wants me. I don’t want to be somewhere I’m not wanted. Sometimes when one door closes, another opens.

Getting rejected from your dream school is not the end of the world, in fact, it’s really just the beginning of the next chapter of your life. Sometimes we have plans that don’t work out, but that’s because God has something better in store for us. I ended up attending Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and I couldn’t be happier there.