Not even a year ago, I was in full on college panic. I was in the midst of applying to 12 schools, I had no idea where I wanted to go, and admission rates and test scores were the only things I could think about.
My obsession with getting into a “good college” actually started long before that. It was sophomore year when I first learned to believe that going to the right college was the most important decision I would ever make.
Looking back now, I can laugh at how ridiculous I was. But if someone had told me (and countless people tried) how much it didn’t matter, I would’ve thought they were insane. I never ever thought I would be the person to say (and fully believe) where you go doesn’t really matter that much.
Yet here I am, years later, saying: Where You Go to College Doesn’t Really Matter
College is such an amazing place that offers so many opportunities for independence and adventure. No matter where you go, you will meet people who make you laugh till you cry. You will have a professor who is the worst and a professor who is the best. You’ll stay up way too late on Saturday and be overwhelmed with homework on Sunday.
Bottom line, no matter where you go to college, you will learn and you will grow. You will experience really awesome times and some really heard times. It doesn’t matter if the school is big or small, private or public, ivy or otherwise.
Another reason why it doesn’t matter that much what college you end up picking, is that you can always transfer. If you get to school and think, “hey, this isn’t the right fit. I kinda wish I had gone (enter other college name here)” you’re not bound to a 4 year contract. There’s no shame in changing your mind.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and tell myself what I know now, (I definitely would’ve saved myself a lot of stress,) but it wouldn’t be the same. I don’t think I’ve ever changed my opinion so completely to the extent that I have about college. I went from believing it was The Most Important Thing, to actually a pretty insignificant thing. But it was an important lesson in life, and one I had to learn by experience.
If anyone’s reading this that’s still in high school and stressing about college, I totally feel you, I totally believe in you– and when you get to college, you’ll see what I mean about this, trust me.