A college decision is arguably the most difficult decision of a teen's later years. Some people know what school they want to attend from a very young age, but for me I toured many schools and debated up until decision day on which one I would attend. Looking back, I couldn't imagine my life if I had chosen any other school besides Mercyhurst. So here are 26 of the many reasons Mercyhurst was a great decision.

1. The campus is beautiful

In the summer there may be more flowers planted in and around campus than in the entire City of Erie. Once winter arrives, the snow seems to give the old buildings a magical sense. As soon as the flurries stop flying, the grounds crew is out mulching and prepping for planting for the spring.

2. Presque Isle

Whether it is still warm or it is the middle of winter, Presque Isle is always a great choice. In the summer, there is always the option of heading to the beach and the best part is, it isn’t saltwater so you don’t have to worry about tides or accidentally getting a huge gulp of gross-tasting salt water. Beach number six is where you will find all of your 'hurst friends, and that’s where the beach volleyball courts are as well. In the winter, the freezing temperatures create ice dunes which are an incredible site to see.

3. The athletics

Baseball, lacrosse, wresting, rowing, you name it, and they prolly have gone to a NCAA DII tourney or two -- or three or four or more. And, not many schools get to say they have a DI hockey team.

4. The very short commute across campus

You can walk from the two farthest points on campus in under 10 minutes. This really comes in handy when you sleep through your alarm or the weather is dreary (they don’t call it dreary Erie just for fun).

5. There happens to be a water main break that causes classes to get cancelled every year.

Everyone likes a random day off from school in the middle of the week.

6. Study abroad options

Mercyhurst not only has a sister school in Dungarven where students can spend a whole semester (who wouldn’t want to study abroad in Ireland), but students can do shorter study abroad options that fit their credit requirements better.

7. St. Patrick's Day

Being a school with a lot of Irish heritage, St. Patrick's Day is a day everyone likes to get a little rowdy for.

8. Advisors

Almost every semester I walk into my advisor’s office feeling like my life is in shambles and she reorganizes it and assures me that I am on the right track and that I may actually be quite successful in life.

9. Hurst Day

Not many schools can say they get a whole day off from class and instead get to partake in jumping around in over-sized bounce houses, go on a campus-wide scavenger hunt and eat tons of delicious food.

10. The location

Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Niagara Falls are all within a two-hour driving distance. Looking for some good wings? Head to Buffalo. Looking for some good “hoagies?" Head to Pittsburgh. Looking for good music? Head to Cleveland. And for the skier in you, Ellicottville, N.Y., is also thrown in the mix at just an hour and a half away.

11. The Stone

The CornerStone Bar and Grill is just a short jaunt from campus. And even if you don’t get a job straight out of college with your fancy degree you’ll still always be able to afford Stone Wednesday. Anyone can afford $3 pitchers and 10 cent drafts. It also makes buying drinks for someone on their birthday pretty affordable.

12. The drunk bus

Once you’re of drinking age, there is always the option to take the drunk bus downtown for free so you can avoid drinking and driving or walking 20 blocks back home to Mercyhurst in subzero temperatures.

13. Small classes

The professors know your name by day three of class. They genuinely care about you and your grades.

14. Snow

Saying it snows a lot in Erie would be an understatement. And they don’t plow the roads very often in Erie so you can ski to class if you really want to. And once the snow is finally gone, everyone is extremely happy and people break out the shorts and T-shirts as soon as the temperature hits 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. The Gorge

While the Gorge is actually at Penn State Behrend, its still an awesome adventure for a nice excursion after class with friends.

16. Spring Fest

The weekend just before we start cramming for finals. For seniors it is one of the last big hoorahs with their classmates.

17. Old Main

It looks like Hogwarts, and Hogwarts is awesome. Too bad there isn’t much magic in old main -- but there are ghosts.

18. You can see the lake

From some buildings (and apartments) on campus you can see Lake Erie.

19. Sports houses

Even though there are no fraternities or sororities, the sports houses know how to throw a good party on the weekends if that’s what you’re looking for on a Saturday night.

20. Shortcuts through campus

As a freshman, one of the first things your Laker Leader tells you is to learn the shortcuts through campus. And by the time the first snowfall rolls around, you’re happy that you can walk from Warde, through Zurn, through Preston, through Old Main, to Egan, even if it takes an extra three minutes because you will have much less snow piled on top of you and you will be much warmer.

21. Freshmen residence halls

Warde is practically a hotel. Each floor seems to get to know each other very well. The Baldwin Babes become more like sisters. Most of the McAuley Bros wouldn’t have traded their small dorm room with no a/c life for Warde even if they got the chance. Many of the people you live and around your freshman year end up becoming your best friends for the next four years.

22. Campus is like an obstacle course

Between the stop signs, speed bumps, pot holes and roundabout ways to get places, it usually is a better idea to just walk to campus. And then, when a big sporting event rolls around and parking lots get blocked off, it gets even more confusing.

23. Laker Showdown

Each sports team gets a bunch of team members together to make a funny or entertaining skit or video or dance and performs it in front of the whole school while raising money for Make-A-Wish.

24. Peach Street

If you are looking for a chain restaurant to go eat at, it is probably somewhere on Peach and if it isn’t, it will be soon. Looking for a big box store, it’s there. Panera? Which one would you like to go to -- there are two. But if you do decide to go to Peach Street, be prepared to sit at a lot of poorly timed stop lights.

25. Rhonda

Even if you hate what Egan is serving up for the day, Rhonda is always there to swipe you in and greet you by your first name.

26. Great friends, great times, great memories

Mercyhurst has been one of the best decisions of my life and I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to make the friends and memories that I have, and I can not wait to be back at the ‘hurst this fall.