I didn’t take the most traditional of paths in getting to my dream school. In fact, I didn’t even get into Bing the first time around. My freshman year, I went to a different school that ended up not being the right fit. Like finding the most perfect pair of shoes, finding a school that fits you can be tricky. It may have taken me a while to get to where I am but, choosing Binghamton was the best decision I have ever made. Here’s why I chose to go to SUNY Binghamton.
Before Bing, I was breezing through my classes. I was definitely not expecting classes to be this easy and I couldn’t tell whether or not that was a good thing. When looking at what schools I could transfer to, Binghamton’s classes looked like they could give me a run for my money. Now, I definitely see what all the hype was about! I study to no end, spend endless nights in the library (miss you, club Bartle), and let me tell you, it is completely worth it.
At the beginning of the process, my dad told me “it’d be pretty funny if you got to say that you go to a better school than your mom and I did…” Well dad, I made it! It was so important to me (and still is) to be the kind of student my parents would be proud of. I wanted to go to a school that would make them shine every time they told their friends where their daughter goes to school, but I didn’t choose Binghamton for my parents. I chose it because I knew that from all those long hours of studying and countless number of tutoring sessions, I would become the kind of person that my parents always taught me to be: confident in my abilities and ready to take on the world.
Okay, let’s face it: no one is made out of money. Everyone needs a little help and though parents might not say it out loud, they’re hoping we won’t choose schools that will break the bank. Choosing a SUNY school was an easy choice for me because I’m an in-state kid, which means I’m paying about half the price someone not from New York would pay. I also want to de-stigmatize the idea of choosing a state school. Just because it’s not Syracuse or Ithaca, does not mean Binghamton is any less of a school (or any other SUNY for that matter). My education isn’t worth any less. I’m proud that I go to a state school and why not pay less for an education that’s damn good?
It sounds silly, I know. But, when you have a friend like mine, it is impossible to imagine spending years apart from each other. Nothing could beat Sunday brunch or Gilmore Girls marathons and I wasn’t ready to give that up. Sure, you’ll meet people at school that after school ends, you’ll have with you for the rest of your life. It’s something special to be able to go into school with your person and leave with them too. We were going through the same things: navigating a new school, different roommates; we were finding our ways separately but always being there for each other. Now, we’ve joined the same sorority and have plans to room together next year. It’s funny to think that one person could affect your life so much. I found out we were going to the same school after I had applied. How cool is it that I get to say I spent my college years with my best friend?
I’ve always said that I chose Binghamton. But, what if Binghamton chose me? I never visited the campus before I had applied. I didn’t really know what it looked like or, what I was getting myself into. It’s almost as if I went into the whole process blind. Little did I know that the school I knew nothing about and had never seen before, would become my home. Sometimes, the best decisions are the ones you make without much thought. That acceptance letter changed my life. On move in day, the sun was out and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I didn’t feel the need to cry when it was time for my parents to leave. In fact, I was pushing them right out the door. I was ready to start brand new. Binghamton was already starting to feel like home and I could tell the next four years were going to be great.
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