I have always enjoyed being a Georgia girl. My entire life I thought that I was going to stay home and go to school in the greatest state there is. My senior year of high school that all changed. Next thing I knew I had graduated and I was on my way to a small liberal arts college on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have to say that my expectations were exceeded and I loved every minute of these past few semesters.

It is quiet and peaceful. There are many good and bad things about every college setting. The college I originally wanted to go to is a huge D1 school. Georgia Southern is in the middle of a small city and it is always crowded. Traffic is absolutely terrible and there are people everywhere. However, there are a lot of things for college kids to do. Here in Chestertown, I may not have that much to do, but I am more comfortable. I can take walks down to the water or to Dunkin Donuts or go read in the park and feel perfectly safe. There isn’t the hustle and bustle of a typical college town.

People are fascinated by my accent. “Where are you from?” “Say that again.” “Hey, Georgia!” These are a few of the things that I heard on a regular basis when I first started at Washington College. People would talk about my accent or try to copy it and that was something I was not used to at all. I guess I never really thought about having an accent. I knew that people would say things about the way I talked, but I didn’t think they would say so much. It really was a conversation starter and actually helped me get to know new people. Now, I don't hear many comments about it.

Snow. North Georgia is the only part of the state that really gets snow. We don’t have snow days we have ice days. When I got to WAC, I thought I was going to see a lot of snow and that it was going to be freezing during the winter months. However, during my first semester, it didn’t snow an inch. I was honestly very shocked and slightly disappointed, but in January of my first year, I saw more snow than I could have wished for.

Royal Farms is love. 7Eleven is life. Yes. Heaven is real and it comes in the forms of Royal Farms and 7Eleven. I knew what 7Eleven was, but I did not know about RoFo until I got to school. There were many nights where my roommate and I would wake up hungry and we would drive to stock up on snacks. Normally, this consisted of cheese, ice cream, and bagel bites. When in doubt, or just bored, eat.

There is always someone there. I don’t play any sports. I don’t have a job. I’m outgoing, but I have to be pushed into situations. This being said, I thought it would be hard to make friends. I’m friends with swimmers, soccer players, kids who don’t play sports at all, members of the Greek community, and musicians. My friend group is very diverse and we truly care for each other. Whenever something happens whether good or bad, there is someone there for me.

There are good times and there are bad times, but through it, all Washington College has made me feel safe and secure. Yes, I miss Georgia and my family. Yes, I miss being able to get sweet tea everywhere I go, but choosing this school is one of the best decisions I ever made. Washington College is more than a school. It’s a family.