Dear Jordan,

When thinking about my future after high school, I had always envisioned myself going to college. There were some points in time where I felt that might not be the right thing for me. However, with the ever changing and very competitive job market, college seemed like a logical option. When selecting the school I would attend, I had it narrowed down to my top two schools, Minnesota State University Mankato and The University of Minnesota Twin Cities. For a very long time, I felt that Mankato was the right choice for me. Seeing my brothers attend college there, I felt like that was the place that I should go. However, somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it wasn't right. At the last minute I chose to attend the University of Minnesota because it truly felt like home. Getting away from the smalltown I had called home for my whole life was important to me, but I didn't want to go too far. The University of Minnesota gave me a good distance from my home while still feeling comfortable. Once I confirmed my enrollment, it was time to decide where I would be living. Taking in consideration that a large majority of freshmen stay in dorms, I felt that this was a good option. This idea was never solid in my head until the day that I made plans to room with Jackson, a real true friend from high school. This choice has turned out to be a fantastic one as our time here has resulted in many great memories. We ended up being placed in Sanford Hall which was not one of the halls that we listed on our preferences. Coming in, I hoped to be in a community where I was able to make friends easily and have lasting relationships with these new friends. Being in Sanford was tough for the first few weeks as it was far away from the other freshman. In the end however, our new home has become a place to love with many friends and lasting memories.