If you’re someone like me, making a big decision is never easy — especially if it has to do with the beginning of your future! Picking where I’d be spending four of the best years of my life was difficult. From the beginning of the whole college process, I always had my mind set on the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City; however, halfway through my senior year of high school, I wasn’t too sure. This was devastating to me, because I always imagined picking a school would be a no brainer. I’d start at FIT, in August and live the life I always imagined in the city. The scariest part about this whole process was the idea, that my dream had changed and I couldn’t wrap my head around the reason why. Why all of a sudden had this dream changed? Why was I feeling differently? And why wouldn’t I want to go to FIT? All of these questions were answered when I visited my sister at school, in February of last year. I was in the middle of hearing from all of my schools when I decided to go to SUNY Cortland for the weekend and experience what college life was really like. It was that weekend that made me realize why I had changed my mind. While a part of me still loved the idea of going to school in the city and living my life there, I felt maybe a campus setting would better suit me rather than an urban setting. After that weekend, I had turned to SUNY Oneonta to be my school. If we’re being completely honest, when my mom told me to put Oneonta on my list of schools to apply to, I was reluctant. I thought “No way am I ever going to end up there,” and boy, was I wrong.
I made my final decision sometime around the end of April and it was the best decision for me. SUNY Oneonta would give me “the best of both worlds.” I had applied to Oneonta for a 3-1 program; three years at Oneonta and one year at FIT. The Oneonta campus is beautiful and I was able to study what I loved and what I was passionate about. While I didn’t know it then, Oneonta also brought me great friends — friends who I know I’ll have for a lifetime. While that phrase is so typical, it’s true. These past six months have given me some of the best and worst times of my life. I’ve learned more than I ever could’ve imaged in the past six months and I’m so grateful for the opportunities and experiences Oneonta has given me thus far, and the opportunities and experiences I know I’ll receive in the future.
HCXO, Nicole