By: Celia Dubauskas
Dear High School Seniors,
Yes. It is possible to choose the wrong school.
They’re going to tell you that it will all work out in the end. That you will know which school is best for you. That you will get a feeling that the school you just visited is your future home. That you can’t go wrong.
Of course, for me, this wasn’t the case.
My junior year, I knew exactly what I wanted in a college. East coast, close to a big city, a good communications program, and a bigger atmosphere. By May of my senior year, these ideals had completely changed. By May of my senior year, it was too late to change my mind.
Shoot. I wanted to be in LA. I wanted to be at a small school with a real campus and real college vibes. I wanted to be closer to home and living in warmer weather.
But at this point, there was no going back. I kind of knew that my freshman year wasn’t going to work out. I sat down in a crowd of thousands at orientation silently screaming “no”. I took notes in a lecture of 500, knowing that I didn’t belong. I ate alone in the cafeteria, wishing I could go home, lay in bed, and never face the world again.
I was alone. For four long months. Four very long months.
But let me tell you something. If this is you…if you find yourself in a cloud of depression, feeling like college just must not be for you or like you did something wrong, like you screwed up…take a deep breath and consider your options. It is not a terrible idea to transfer. In fact, I was so surprised by how many people were transferring in to LMU the same time I was. Transferring universities was the best decision I could have made for myself, my education, my health, and my well-being.
Talk to your parents. They won’t be mad. Looking at schools may seem like a hassle. Maybe you’ll decide you don’t want to move further down the road. But it’s okay to look. It’s okay to not be okay and to not be happy. College isn’t the biggest deal in the world. But your happiness is.
Sincerely,
The Girl who made a Mistake