School started almost a month ago, and for many seniors (myself included) are faced with the pressing horror of choosing what we want to study for the next two to ten (or if we even want to go to college). We also have to decide where we want to study it and how we’re going to get the money to study it. This is a lot of stress to shove onto a 17-year-old. Especially when we are treated like children but expected to act like adults.

Teaching. Music. Psychology. Writing. Theatre. These are all things I’ve considered studying in just the last four years I’ve been in high school. And in my senior year, I am no closer to figuring out what I want to study than I was in my freshman year. My list of possible colleges has expanded the more I find that have all these programs.

Then comes the problem of getting the funds to go to whatever school I choose. I am going to be paying for my college all by myself because I am not one of those kids who was fortunate enough to have money set aside for them in a college fund. So, of course, I want college to be as inexpensive as possible but am I willing to sacrifice my possible college experience for it?

My mom wants me to start at Mt. Hood, a community college less than 10 blocks from my house. I know if I start there it will be a whole lot cheaper on me, but I want to get away. I don’t want to leave Oregon but I want to get out and live my life as soon as possible. The thing I’m most concerned about with this route is switching schools after two years and if I switch to a 4-year school I’d be switching in another two years. I’ve moved around a lot before and I know from experience that it isn’t the most fun thing. And honestly, I have way too many books to do that.

But the alternative would be going to a 4-year or state school right off the bat and paying way more to do the same things. I want the typical college experience of living in dorms and making friends and having fun. But is it worth the debts I will rack up? Is the typical college experience worth going dead broke over? Honestly, I think it is. I would rather work to pay off debts than do something with my life that I’m not happy with. And the fact that I want to go to a university and live in a dorm and meet new people and make new friends and be free to go to bed when I want to and having friends over and going and doing things, I should be able to do that.

So now, all that’s left for me to do is find the school I want to attend and hope they have most of the majors I’ve considered. Then I have scholarships and colleges to apply for and before I can do anything else, I have senior year to get through with straight A’s and maybe a few accomplishments and a solid activities chart. So I will try to make the best of my senior year and that will help me make my college decision. And as long as I do something I love, I know I won't regret anything.