If someone told me during my senior year of high school that I would end up going to three different colleges, not ever attend my dream school and be a class year behind, I would’ve given them the confused meme-girl face.

In an odd way, I feel like Goldilocks where she has to keep deciding which porridge or chair was right for her. I finally found the proper school. I can see myself walking away with my bachelor’s degree. As corny as it sounds, sometimes what you planned isn’t what happens. I had to re-prioritize my post-high school life.
I chose my career when I was a kid. I just wasn’t exactly sure the particular job I wanted. I loved media and entertainment. I was never was a math ora science kid. I never liked sports. In my senior year, I thought I would graduate in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in music industry and be the 21st-century version of Clive Davis.

I applied to two schools. I was denied at University of New Haven, and waitlisted at my dream school based on my mediocre SAT scores. It was the summer of 2014, with no other choice (according to Mommy) but to attend community college.

A community college is a great place to save money and get your feet wet, but it isn’t for everyone, especially when you have to take three buses, stop at a crackhead-infested transit station, and later run into 15-20 high school classmates as you stroll on campus. I was even an audio recording technology major, which was a dumb decision as I look back. In addition, the campus had way too many(20,000) people.

I withdrew from community college and took a semester off before I enrolled in Newbury College, a small liberal arts college in Boston, Mass. I decided to be a communications/media major and I eventually decided this was right major for me. After the first semester, I made the dean’s list and was asked to join an honor society, but I was unhappy and needed to plan my escape. I couldn’t see myself graduating from this school.

People say the university is small, but Newbury had 860 students during the 2015-16 school year and a campus that included five buildings. It was a small school, and — to me — it couldn’t offer a lot. I knew, however, I took another shot at applying to UNH. I applied as a transfer student and here I am.
When I researched UNH and then visited, it was a perfect school for me, and it was a little closer to my home in western Long Island. I was sold on hearing about the experimental education aspect where learning goes beyond the classroom.

My biggest fear as a transfer student was finding friends and my groove. The first week of school was a little sad. I missed my friends from my previous school. I also wondered how I would make friends, as I’m in upperclassmen dorms and classes and groups and cliques have already formed. I was glad to have been a Transfer LLC, which I could co-exist before branching out.

This year has been a mix of up and downs, but that’s life in general. I think U. New Haven is a great school. That doesn’t mean there can’t be improvements made; even the iPhone needs its kinks worked out. The campus isn’t too big. The classes aren’t lectured halls with 50-100 students as I’d seen in movies as a child. It takes me no more than 10 minutes to get to class. I love how there’s a plethora of student organizations and classes to get involved. Add to that the excellent professors I have and friends and connections I’ve made. Plus, there’s way more to do here, thanks to the $1.6 million budget that is strictly for student activities and events.

Being here has changed me. I now take advantage of the resources that are available. I came here thinking to myself “I don’t want to join an E-Board.” I ended up running for Black Student Union e-board. I said to myself: I would never want to an orientation leader. And then I ended up applying and going through group process and being denied but getting great feedback. I sidestepped the thought of joining to USGA, and now I’m hoping next year I can join USGA, as somewhere in the middle: not the president or vice president, but something reasonable (I have to keep my sanity). That interest came after seeing someone who looked like me in USGA.

On an average week, I’m going to class, attending meetings and doing assignments for the clubs I’m in, maintaining my part-time job, studying, being nourished, reserving time for friends and still desperately trying to get a healthy amount of sleep.

I love the University because it’s what you make of it. If I didn’t like this school at all, this would’ve been a wrap a long time ago.
At this point, I’m ready for what’s to come junior year — though I’m also ready to hibernate this summer.