Most schools I considered were in the Midwest with some outliers throughout the eastern US. I looked at small private universities like the Loyola University of Chicago and other Big Ten schools like Indiana University. Obviously U-M was out, but somehow, MSU slipped onto the list.

I thought the campus was ugly. I didn’t want to be associated with the party school reputation. I hated hearing that it was the easy choice. I submitted my application to make my MSU grad dad happy. I knew both he and my mom would be much happier to look at in-state tuition prices, too.

Loyola was my first pick and everyone knew it. My friend and I would sit in our high school yearbook class and click through Loyola’s campus tours and envision what life would be like attending school there. 

My applications slowly came back, and I was lucky enough to find I got into all my schools. Still, my preferred schools made sure to let me know that I was given the least amount of money that they could give in aid, numbers that couldn't compare to the lower rates of my one Michigan school. 

I ended up at MSU. I went in blind, not knowing my roommates. After moving into East Akers and saying goodbye to my family, it all started to hit me. That first week of school was the most alone I've ever felt.

The reasonable part of me knew I had the opportunity to meet other freshmen in the same situation and looking back — a hot take for what most have to say about MSU dorm life — I adored my time living in Akers because of it. Akers' redeeming quality is that you’re housed with almost entirely freshmen, and during that first week, that was the most comforting feeling. 

At Akers, I met the girls who I am so lucky to call my three closest friends in Akers. These are the people who convinced me that MSU was where I needed to be.

They have since seen me through rejection, failure, fear and sadness as well as through joy, achievement and triumph. After finding them, I was finally able to see MSU as something more than just my dad’s alma mater. I found the beauty of campus. I love reading along the Red Cedar River, running and following the river trail and I love walking the familiar routes to class. Walking to class is often my favorite time of day because I get to see campus.

I started to find myself more throughout my freshman year. I came to MSU as business preference, but I ended up changing things up completely to pursue two degrees, one in journalism and one in advertising management.

Sophomore year saw me in Butterfield Hall which held significant moments for me and my friends. One was deliberating about graduating a year early. The thought of seeing her walk the stage at graduation and not finishing senior year with us, brought all of us to tears. That night we spent hours delving into our friendship and how much we all meant to each other. This was the first time I had felt I found my people. Up until that point, I had never felt such a deep moment of appreciation for the people I had welcomed into my life.

Junior year, these friends had very quickly become more of a chosen family. Now, heading into senior year, I still have them by my side.

This fall we will get to move into one apartment, and I couldn’t be more excited. The thought of senior year is daunting, but I have never been as confident as I am today, and I have so many people to thank for that. 

I so deeply appreciate the three girls who showed me the beauty of MSU. Now having truly seen and experienced campus, I am so happy that I chose MSU after all. I will forever see it as a second home. It has its healthy dose of partying, like any university would, but it is more than the reputation I was sick of hearing, and it took being a Spartan to show me that. I love who I am because I got to be a Spartan and I finally feel like I can say that I know myself.