As an 18 year old, I have to figure out what I want to do with my life and the path I want to take to get there. 18 years old sounds amazing to finally be called somewhat of an adult. It’s terrific until you have to start making such big, grown-up decisions that affect your future. Picking a college has been such a rollercoaster for me, with back and forth decisions and uncertainty of what to do. When I was younger I  thought, well it’s just a school, but so much more goes into it, starting with academics, locations and cost. 

I looked into the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and for months I was sure I wanted to go there. My best friend went there and it was the perfect distance away from home. It was far enough where I wasn’t in South Dakota but it was still close enough to where I could easily make the drive home if I needed to. The only problem is, with what I wanted to do, I’d have to double major. This would mean more school, which would mean more money which was not something I wanted to do. On Top of the extra school, it also costs a lot more than closer schools.

The University of South Dakota is always an option. It’s one of those schools that I’ve got to visit since it’s right here, it’s cheap and maybe I’ll end up going there. When I went to visit, I thought it was a beautiful campus. Not only was it cheap but it also had my major created into this five year path I could take with all my classes laid out for me. The only con was that it is so close that it would almost feel like I’m in high school again. At this point it was already a no for me.

It seems like the answer would be UNL. So many people thought I was going there because it was all I could talk about. I was so set on going for months. But then reality started to creep up on me. I had to make my final decision where I was going back and forth with what I truly wanted to do. It was a huge deal for me not to go to school for that long and at such a huge price that I’d later have to pay off. Everyone seemed like they knew what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go but I was just so inbetween with decisions. I really dreaded going anywhere in the midwest whether it was USD or UNL. I thought I was going to have to suck it up and just go because it seemed to be my only option. 

Throughout my senior year I always joked about going somewhere far away and warm for school. I soon realized I could make that so-called joke a reality. I looked into the University of Southern Florida noticing they had my major and the cost wasn’t too bad. It’s just that, it’s not a quick drive away. I won’t get to come back home for the weekend if I was needed, or even Friday nights for football games. I would really be leaving and going far away for a long time. I am such a family girl that it would make me so sad to go so far away this soon more than it would make me happy. 

I’ve decided I’m going to USD for my first year then transferring to USF my sophomore year. This will help me get all my generals done close to home while still having the college experience before getting thrown into a far away city knowing no one. I might be 18 and considered an adult but I feel so young to be doing something so big. My path might be altered a little bit but I know I will have fun either way and get an amazing education in the end.