As I start my second semester of my sophomore year, I cannot help but start to feel nostalgic.
I understand this may seem premature, however, I do.

I loved my first year here at Shippensburg University, something I was surprised about. You see, I originally had my heart set on attending Temple University.

That dream was shot to Hell when a big decline appeared on my application.

Needless to say, I was devastated.

So when I started here at SU, I felt nothing but apprehension and a longing for a school that was three hours away.

With all of these things in mind, I started my first semester as a freshman with intentions to transfer, which is something I now regret.

I found new friends who I loved and made me feel welcomed, and yet, in the back of my mind, I still could not wait for the end of the semester to renew my Temple application. I rushed my first semester, and took advantage of what I had.

That is one of the biggest mistakes that I have made in my life.

After I decided to stay and enjoy all that SU had to offer, I think I started to flourish. In high school, it could be argued that I was a wallflower. I kept quiet although, I knew I had a lot to say.

When I jumped feet first into truly committing to SU, I decided to leave my baggage behind and write a clean slate. Now, I cannot picture myself anywhere else. People from my home always said SU was not fun and could not offer anything.

I am not lying and I cannot tell you how many times I heard this from my friends.
What is frustrating is that for a little while I was one of them.

People disregard SU and I do not understand why.

So to everyone who has other opinions, and to the freshman who have second thoughts, give it a chance.

How do you know SU is not for you unless you give it a go?

Now I do not like the idea of transferring and not fully having four years to enjoy and appreciate the university that I go to. I understand that for some it is necessary and I am not trying to say transferring is wrong, at one point I thought it was right for me.

I know people who have transferred two or three times and I do not feel like they even gave their choice universities a chance.

Stop rushing onto the next thing and enjoy the moment, because you may discover you like your surroundings.

Some say I settled on SU, and I say they could not be more wrong.

When people say some things are just not meant to be they are right. Temple was not for me, I just had to discover that on my own.

One of my failures turned into a success.

This school offers so much.

Shippensburg was the biggest surprise of my life, and I love every minute of it. I think that I always will.

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