Throughout my senior year of high school, I couldn’t wait to see where I would end up spending the next four years of my life. After touring a multitude of campuses I was so eager to just get the process over with so I could finally move to the school that I was destined to attend: Boston University.

 

Obviously fate had something else in store for me because I’m not in the historic city of Boston with all its glory, but in humble Newark, Delaware. When I pictured myself at college I didn’t even consider a green, suburban campus that isn’t located in the heart of a major city. I saw myself bustling to class amongst “hipsters” and filmmakers and photographers and not actually waiting for the walk sign to legally cross the street.

 

Financially, Delaware was the best choice for me so I thought I’d give it a try. Everyone I know from high school who attends UD loves it, so it couldn’t be that bad. However when I first moved into Russell last year, I couldn’t really find my niche and I wasn’t loving my major so I actually thought of transferring schools.

 

One day during winter break I was scrolling through my photo albums and realized that I was laughing in almost every picture. I’ve made incredible memories with kids that I’d only known for a few months and realized that I’m not going to find relationships like that anywhere else. College isn’t about the name of a school or the image a school gives you, it’s about what you make of your experience and opportunities in any situation you’re put in. My impatient self didn’t realize that all the qualities I was looking for in a college were directly in front of my face the entire time.

 

The moral of the story is that we find happiness where we least expect it. It’s not always about the big picture, but it’s the little things like laughing with your roommate about her sleep-talking or admiring how beautiful the sunset looks from the window of your dorm that make you appreciate the place that you live. Looking back I feel crazy to have ever thought of leaving this university that I’m proud to call my home. To all you new Blue Hens out there: if you don’t absolutely love it here at first, give it a semester. I can almost guarantee that you’ll fall in love with everything about this campus just like I did.

Yet another striking sunset at a UD football game

Yet another striking sunset at a UD football game

~Ashley Bostwick

 

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