I’ve spent six weeks here at Westfield State University; that’s six weeks longer than I’ve ever been away from home. My time has been filled with a plethora of emotions, some better than others, and I’ve made more memories than I ever expected to make. I’ve made friends that I hope I’ll have for life and I feel like I’m starting to find my place here.

At first, the idea of going to college absolutely terrified me. To some degree, being here still does. If I’m going to be perfectly honest, Westfield was not originally where I thought I would end up. I applied to a number of schools and made countless pros and cons lists when deciding where I’d spend the next four years. In the end, I decided Westfield was the right place for me. Now, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.    

Going into my first year of college, I knew I wanted to get involved with things I didn’t have time for in high school. So, six weeks later, I now write for The Westfield Voice, am a part of the Campus Activities Board, and my friends and I are even starting our own radio show. College has pushed me to reach beyond my comfort zone and really figure out, not only who I am, but who I want to become.

In addition to figuring out where I fit in outside of the classroom, I have rekindled my passion for learning by taking classes pertaining to my major so early in my college career. With a major in elementary education, Westfield has given me great opportunities to go out into schools and classrooms just weeks into my first semester. My observation hours and the ability to be taking upper-level education classes so soon has helped me reaffirm my desire to teach.

So, like I said, this was never the place that I expected to end up while I was applying to colleges. However, within the first six weeks, I’ve met my best friends, fostered new passions, and begun my journey to becoming an educator. With all of that, six weeks later, I can honestly say that I could not have picked a better place to spend my next four years.