I visited a few colleges. One was a spur of the moment, 'stick a pin on a map and pick a school to check outas my family drove across the country' kind of visit. One was a 'this college is only 45 minutes away so you should probably just go on a tour' kind of visit. Another was a 'my friend goes to this college and I can stay with her for a day over Thanksgiving break' kind of visit. Clearly, I devoted the utmost attention to my college search, looking far and wide across the country as I sought the perfect school.

I did find the perfect school, for my lenient requirements. I can play volleyball? Check. I got a good scholarship? Check. Sign me up, folks, this kid is going to college. I loved the campus, I loved the distance to the airport, I loved how beautiful this foreign state was in the spring. I loved that it didn't feel too big and scary and different, and I thought that I lucked into the perfect place for me.

I wrote an article about a year ago about my regrets in my college search. It's a long article, because there are a lot of regrets. The school is small, far from my family, in a different cultural setting, in a tiny town, students aren't engaged or excited to learn, there are few options for degree programs- the list goes on and on. That article definitely does. But I realized something recently.

None of that really mattered to me, in the end. One of my teammates recently told a freshman, "This place is what you make of it." And I realized that I have made something of it.

I have wonderful friends that I will love for the rest of my life. I have incredible memories that I've made with my sorority, my teammates, and my classmates. I have mentors helping me through every aspect of my life with their invaluable wisdom and steady minds. I've gained experience in the fields I want to pursue, built up a resume I can be proud of, and made connections I will continue to explore after I graduate. And I think I've come to realize that these are the big things.

Everything else is just details. Sure, I picked my life up from a place far away, a place very different from where I am now. But I learned how to survive without driving an hour or two home to my mom every weekend, without home cooked meals or someone else to do my laundry, or the comforting feeling of being in the place I grew up in. And I'm better for it.

This college, and this place, are a big part of who I am now, of my personal strength and my independence. I would never give that up. I may have some regrets, but I wouldn't trade this place for anything.