A year ago today I made one of the best decisions of my life. A year ago today I visited campus for the first time. A year ago today I made the decision to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott Arizona. I was not one of those students who waited till decision day in May to make my decisions. I was lucky, I had already been accepted to all of the schools I had applied to and had narrowed down my list. One in state and one out of state, it was decision time for me. After numerous visits to Washington State University, it was time to take the flight and come visit Embry-Riddle.

Before this trip, I had never been to Arizona and thought it was a place where everything was poisonous and wanted to kill. I was wrong. I was shown the glorious cactuses, the Disney-like rock formations in the Dells, and the wonderful sun of Arizona. After a day on campus, I was sure that this was my home. My tour guide gave me a glimpse into the school, and the students I met on campus loved their majors and were excited to tell me about the school. Seeing the green grass in front of the student union and the dorms where I would be living showed me what life would be like at Embry-Riddle. The thought of moving states away and leaving my family was hard, but once I walked on campus, I knew this would be my home for the next four years.

Looking back on the past year and all the changes, blessings, and challenges I can only smile. The stress of packing up my life and moving to another state (I flew to campus with my parents and fit everything I needed in 3 boxes and 2 carry ons), dealing with homesickness, and falling in love with my major, I could not imagine being anywhere else. Late night adventures, early mornings, and a new family here have made me even more thankful for this decision I made 365 days ago.

As acceptance letters keep rolling in during these next few months I urge you to visit all the schools you are seriously considering. Seeing campus on a computer and seeing it in person can make a world of difference, or at least it did for me. So as you keep going on this adventure, the odds are in your favor that you’ll find the perfect school for you. I am sure that you all will find a home at university, Embry-Riddle or not, and have the ability to look back a year from now and smile!