As I sat on the curb, the outside world seemed to stand still as my disheveled thoughts took over. It was exam week, and my stress level was already through the roof, and now I had a big decision on my hands: do I drop out of Michigan State or do I stay?
My best friend, Kate, and I were inseparable since we started high school. We even lived across the street from each other. We had the same interests; same beliefs about school, so naturally we assumed the next step was to be roommates. My first semester of college was far from what either of us expected. I had built up this unrealistic image of what college was like based off the experiences of others. Living on my own was going to be filled of adventures where I could do anything on a moments notice, with no parents to tell me what to do. Soon reality hit. Classes were difficult, people were unfriendly, and boredom began to set in for my school was in the middle of nowhere. The kids in my dorm were inconsiderate and noisy; getting any studying done there was a challenge. It seemed like the students who weren’t there on scholarship didn’t care as much about their grades, they just wanted to party. The thirteen weeks I spent at Michigan State University seemed like an eternity as I went through the motions: class, homework, sleep, repeat. I realized I wasn’t happy there, and the thought of staying another three years made me sick to my stomach. I knew I had to make a decision.
Clouds rolled in as I still sat hunched over by the road. I looked around at the expensive cars that filled the student parking lot, and realized I didn’t fit in here. I went back and forth considering all possibilities. What if I stay, and State turns out to be as amazing as I thought? What if I left, and it is becomes one of the worst mistakes I ever make? Will my mom be disappointed in me? Will I get the same education somewhere else? Dozens of questions flooded my brain.
I knew I couldn’t wait any longer to make my decision. I somberly walked from my thinking curb to the counselor’s office and took a seat. The wait seemed to drag on. It took me forever to come to a conclusion, and now I just wanted to be done with this awful place. I couldn’t sit still as I began to think about how I would even begin to explain my untimely departure to my roommate. I could just picture the blank look on her face as I tell her I’m not coming back; that I’m leaving her here by herself. Interrupting my thoughts, the counselor finally called me in. I sat awkwardly in the chair as she continuously tried to convince me to stay. She threw down a mountainous stack of paper in front of me as soon as she realized I was resolute in my decision. She explained all the consequences, good and bad, as she went through each individual paper. Initial here, sign that; I don’t know how many times she repeated that. I finally signed my last piece of paper, and I was officially a done with Michigan State. I felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted off my shoulders, but I could only enjoy my excitement for a few seconds, because now it was the hard part: telling Kate I was leaving. I took my time as I trudged back to my dorm to break the news to my roommate while my mom drove down to help me. I knew