Everyone who plans on attending college wants to find their absolute perfect fit.

They want to find the campus that will match all their wildest dreams. They want the right environment, the right opportunities, the right people, and all of that comes together to create the perfect balance for a home away from home.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Western Massachusetts. I’m someone who loves walking into the grocery store and seeing every single person I’ve ever met, or staying 15 minutes after church to talk to familiar faces. I love the small-town feeling, the feeling that someone, somewhere, is always watching out for you. On the contrary, though, I have also always loved UMass Amherst.

I find this ironic because UMass is such a huge school, with tens of thousands of students from all over the world. It’s housed in, compared to my small town, a city, with countless things to do on the weekends and tons of places to shop, eat, and just have fun. I find it to completely make sense though, too. My dad went to UMass Amherst, and when I was younger he would take me to basketball games at the Mullins Center and to Bart’s for ice cream; he would show me all the ins and outs of the town, tell me about what his life was like there, and take me down all the streets he claimed most others knew nothing about. UMass is only about 35 minutes from my house, and I, being a bit of a homebody sometimes, loved the idea of my “home away from home” being so close to those I love.

I knew from the time I was about eight or ten years old that I wanted to go to UMass too, and as I got older, I cringed at the thought of attending any other school. There was even a time when I was younger that I was interested in a potential career path, but because I couldn’t get the degree I needed from UMass Amherst, I changed my mind and eventually settled on a new one (which I am totally excited about by the way). I toured other schools, knew there were other options, and was accepted into some wonderful colleges, but, as my mom noted, the only acceptance letter I lit up after reading was from UMass. Though not the most affordable option I was given, it was the one I needed in my life, and my parents helped make it happen for me. I don’t say it enough, but I wouldn’t be at the school I’ve always wanted to be at without their help and support, and, especially after having a wonderful first year and making some of the most enjoyable memories, like bussing to Gillette Stadium to watch the Minutemen football, dancing the night away with my cousin and my boyfriend, forgetting about the fact that it was a Tuesday night and we all had class at 9 A.M. the next day, being a total mom and sending my beautiful roommate and my other best friends to their formals, or laughing until I cried after walking by a man dressed as a pistachio in the dining hall, I can never thank them enough (shout out mom and dad, love you tons).

Now that I am here, and currently wrapping up my freshman year, I can confidently say I know this university was the right choice for me, and what makes that even better is that I know I chose UMass for me, and stuck with my decision. I have already met some wonderful people here that I am privileged to call my best friends. I enjoy my classes and the food (all that really matters I guess), and anything I could ever need or want is within reach. I have become involved in groups I’m interested in, explored my campus, and networked within my major. I’m happy to wake up every day where I am. Although any college serves its purpose in being an educational institution, certain people find their niche at certain places, turning their college careers into experiences and unforgettable memories.

I encourage everyone to find their place. Find the right match for you, I promise it’s out there (and if it happens to be UMass, I totally vibe with you). Everyone deserves to have the time of their life in college, because it’s the last time where you aren’t expected to totally “adult” just yet. Meet amazing people, have fun, and take advantage of every opportunity you get, because these things will only enhance your experience.

And who wouldn’t want that?