I had always wanted to go to a big college.
After growing up in a small town and attending even a smaller high school, I thought that I was in need of a big change. I spent my entire senior year counting down the days until graduation and until I could experience all that life had to offer.
In March of my senior year, however, my mindset had suddenly changed. College was already scary enough and the thought of attending a school ten times the size of my hometown was no longer something I desired to do. From that moment on, I was Ambrose bound…and it was the best decision I could have made.
From the moment I stepped onto campus, I knew I had made the right choice. The academic buildings and residence halls were beautiful, the campus was small, but in a comforting way, and everyone – I mean everyone – was so welcoming.
It didn’t take me long to make friends my freshman year, and the majority that I made then are still in my life now. I had little to no trouble finding my classes and I actually found myself enjoying them. My professors knew my name and genuinely cared about how I was doing in class. I wasn’t just another name on an attendance sheet in a giant lecture hall. I was a student who mattered. I became friends with many of my classmates and we often met outside of class to go over coursework. When that wasn’t enough, I wasn’t afraid to take a trip to the Student Success Center to get the extra help that I needed.
I explored off of campus. I experienced my first SAU football game, I visited Modern Woodmen Park, and frequently took walks around Vander Veer. I found a part-time job and took more than my fair share of shopping trips to the North Park Mall.
Before I knew it, I wasn’t one of the “new freshmen.” I knew the majority of students in my residence hall. I said, “Hi, how are you?” to countless friends while walking to and from class. I had a wonderful relationship with all of my professors and I was also involved in numerous extracurriculars to keep me busy outside of my schoolwork. College was awesome and I had found my home away from home.
As a senior, it’s crazy to think about how my time at St. Ambrose is quickly coming to an end. Not only will I be leaving with my degree in just a few short months, but I’ll also be leaving with memories and relationships that will last me a lifetime. For the last three years, Ambrose has been my home, and I wouldn’t want it to be any other way. SAU will always have a place in my heart, and I will forever consider it the place to bee.