Crazy Crazy Life We Live In

As the spring months roll around, it is time for a huge step in all high school Seniors lives. 

It is time to make a final decision on which school he or she will be attending. 

I visited a large array of different schools to figure out which was right for me. UNC-Chapel Hill? No not really. University of Oregon? Yeah I guess I could see my self going there. Gonzaga? I could see my self there with no problem. Washington State University? HECK NO.

I applied to UNC, Oregon, Gonzaga, and WSU (WSU before I visited). As the letters are almost done coming in, I realized something.

That letter means a lot. I mean . . . A LOT.

I got accepted to Oregon only a couple of weeks after I applied. The feeling was euphoric to say the least. I thought that was where I was meant to go. They didn't have the greatest journalism program, nor the best location, but it was the U of O! How could I turn down that kind of prestige. 

After a huge gap of college-break time, I got back on the horse and started looking again for more options. My parents suggested WSU, and told me to apply. So, I did. I had this whole picture about what Pullman, WA was going to be like. I thought that it was the school for me. They have one of the top (if not THE top) journalism programs in the nation. How could I deny that? So, when I visited, I was in for a surprise. I HATED it. Perhaps it was because I just got back from Gonzaga and decided that I loved it there. Anyways, I shut down the idea of me going to WSU. I didn't like it, I loved Gonzaga. Forget the Cougs. 

Then, something happened. One of those light bulb moments. 

I got the acceptance letter to Washington State University. 

Included in the letter was $31,000. 

I was shocked. I couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't think of anything but my choices now. How quick priorities change. How quick things that mattered before now become irrelevant. 

I got accepted to the best journalism school in the nation.

And they wanted me to come so bad that they gave me $31 THOUSAND. 

I was stuck for days. I would say something like 10 or 11 days, thinking about my future. I brought out the newspapers that I had from my campus visits. The Daily Evergreen was by far the best. I talked to my Lenior-Rhyne University Professor (I'm a high school enrichment student; I get to go to college every other day and I learn about journalism) and he agreed with me; education, contacts, etc. are the most important things in a college education. 

So here I am, probably a month or so further down the road. I told my parents I wouldn't make a final decision until I heard back from Gonazaga, so I can't send in my deposit just yet.

But, I will be attending Washington State University in the fall. 

Isn't it crazy how fast things can change?