I started out just as excited and anxious about college as everyone else. I got into my top choice, a beautiful school with a great figure skating program. I actually visited the school initially because of their sports programs. As soon as I moved in, things started to change. That fun-loving atmosphere I felt when I visited had suddenly vanished and was replaced by a competitive, negative environment. People formed small groups of friends that suddenly ran out of room for more ‘members’, and going out was the only activity.

People in college are always excited to go out Thursday through Sunday, blowing off steam from a stressful week. This school was the exception. Everyone expected you to go out EVERY NIGHT. I always hated the pressure to party, so I avoided going out like the plague. As a result, I was isolated in my dream school, going days without talking to anyone besides my roommate or friends back home. Eventually, my grades started slipping as I became more and more unhappy with my situation.

To top off my wonderful experience, my advisor told me I was not smart enough to be in the business school and should choose an easier major. He said I should thank him for saving me time and energy pursuing a major I couldn’t complete. I went home for fall break with this in mind, resulting in my first breakdown on the way to the airport to fly back to school. For me, that was the last straw.

My New Year’s resolution started early, as I focused on being happy and taking care of myself. I will never ever regret that decision. I went to a community college for a year to find my true passion, and yes it’s business. I wish I could go back to my old advisor and show him my grades to prove him wrong!

Here I am one year later at an amazing college with so many new friends. I feel like a different person now that I’m in an environment that helps me thrive. It’s amazing that one little change in my college path made all the difference. I know of several people that continue to suffer through college instead of finding another, so I hope they read this. There’s no reason to pursue something that makes you unhappy. No one deserves to live under such a dark cloud, simply going through the motions and counting the days until it’s over.

It’s true what they say; college is one of the best times of your life. But sometimes, you have to actively find the good times instead of expecting them upfront.