Decisions, Decisions…

During one’s senior year of high school, a rollercoaster of events take place, as it is the ending of one chapter and the beginning a whole new story. For most it is the stressful time of preparing for the next big step… college! For me, it was the choice that would shape my future and I never thought it could be so difficult. I remember spring break of my senior year like it was yesterday. My family and I took off for San Diego to spend a few days with my grandparents.

“Wake up Sabrina, its time to leave,” called my mom.

“Okay, I’m almost ready!” I anxiously replied.

My parents and I were going on an unofficial visit to San Diego State University. I ran cross country and track and was hoping to continue my running career in college, so we had set up a visit and tour of the school with the head coach at the time. I had only visited a few schools thus far and the decision to pick just one was so complex to me. Most of my admission letters were in by now and all I really needed to do was to make my final decision.

I had such a wide range of emotions as we drove down the 8 freeway towards the university. I gazed out the window; as we got closer and our exit was in sight, almost every car had some variation of an SDSU sticker. To think that this could be me within the next year was so mind-boggling.

My mom and dad even asked, “How do you think SDSU MOM or DAD would look on our cars?” This was all beginning to feel so real. I tried to take everything in but too many thoughts ran through my mind and I couldn’t process them all quick enough to respond.

We exited College Avenue, parked our car, and were greeted by my old high school teammate who happened to attend SDSU. She was a senior and the captain when I was a freshman in high school and was nice enough to show me around campus. The feeling of walking across a college campus was very intimidating to me. It was just like everything I had seen in the movies, but better: students racing around on their bikes, dorm rooms, frat houses, a huge library, and even dining halls.

Walking around campus, I tried to picture what it would actually be like for myself if I were attend the school. It was still all so unreal and the possibility of being on my own for the first time was frightening. We wrapped up the campus tour and the only thing left was to see the athletic center and meet with the coach.

We headed towards the athletic center where my coach awaited for our arrival. Walking into the SDSU athletic center, I was overwhelmed by all of the school spirit. There was Red and Black everywhere I looked! The coach greeted us in the main room and began to show us around.

“Are you ready to see where you’ll be spending your next four years?” asked Coach Nista.

She seamed so sure and although I hadn’t yet made a decision, I was starting to picture myself walking to through the halls of the “AC,” as all the athletes here called it.

We arrived at the locker rooms and my father had to stay outside of