All throughout high school, I had a dream college I was dead set on attending. I bought clothes, flags and shoes with their team logo and colors on them. I got the best score I could on my ACT, and I wrote a few rather impressive essays for the early application. But a few weeks later, I received the most dreaded piece of mail any high school senior could—a rejection letter. Yes, my dream school had actually rejected me, and I was now facing the reality that I was going to have to go to my second-choice school. I was completely devastated and scared for a good while afterward. But this story doesn’t have a sad ending.
At the time, getting rejected from my dream school absolutely sucked. I had planned my life around going to some prestigious school close to home, and now I was scared. The University of Missouri had already accepted me, and offered me money to go to school. Though I had been considering Mizzou as my “backup” school for many years, it was suddenly the school I would be attending for the next four years. The idea of going to college seven hours away from home and in the middle of Missouri was completely terrifying. I love my family, I love the city of Chicago and I was going to have to leave that all behind now. Blinded by fear and disappointment, I didn’t realize that what I thought was one of the worst things to happen to me would actually turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to me.
Though this is only my second year here, I’ve met so many incredible people and learned so many amazing things at Mizzou. I am currently studying at the best journalism school in the nation, surrounded by countless opportunities and resources to help prepare me for the real world of journalism. I’ve joined a sorority and found a sisterhood of love and friendship that will last me for well after my college years are over. I’ve met some of my best friends here—people that will love and support me through anything and everything. I’ve learned what it truly means to tailgate, and to love a sports team with all of your heart. I’ve figured out that the middle of Missouri isn’t actually as bad as it may sound to a city girl like me. And most importantly, I’ve realized that if I hadn’t gotten rejected from my “dream school,” I wouldn’t be where I am now. Mizzou was just my dream school in disguise, and I can honestly say that I couldn’t be happier that I got turned down from my other school.
