Prestigious or not, I love UMass Amherst

It was just a little over a year ago that I received the news I had been waiting for: I had been accepted to NYU. I could attend the “big name” prestigious school I had dreamed of getting into. I was overcome with joy.

I remained in a state of pure delight until later the next day when I got an email summarizing my scholarships, financial aid, and overall costs. I remember quietly staring at that email for a while, trying to figure out if there was anyway that I could possibly afford to go to this amazing school that I believed was the best fit for me.

Slowly but surely, I began to accept that attending NYU was just not going to be feasible for me. Even as a senior in high school I already knew that I would want to go on to graduate school, and I could not imagine doing so with the heaping mound of debt that NYU would leave me with.

After a couple of weeks, I accepted that I would be attending my second choice school, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which also happened to be the most affordable of all the schools I looked at.  I reassured my family that I was content with the way things turned out and that I was excited to be attending UMass Amherst.

However, in all honesty, I was disappointed and a little embarrassed. Not only would I not be attending my dream school, I’d be going to the school which many of my friends considered their “safety school.” Due to this fact, whenever anyone asked me where I’d be going to school, I would say something along the lines of, “I’m going to UMass Amherst. I got into NYU and really wanted to go, but it was just too expensive.”

I’ve come a long way since those days when I would reluctantly tell people that I would be attending UMass Amherst and put emphasis on the fact that I had been accepted to NYU. Just a couple of months ago, I was having lunch with my dad while he was here at UMass for a visit and, for the first time, I confessed to him that when I officially decided to enroll in UMass Amherst last spring, I was not truly happy. I had put a smile on and acted excited because I didn’t want him to feel bad for me.

But now, a year later, I am honestly so glad that things turned out the way they did. I’ve come to realize that UMass Amherst is, and always was, the best fit for me and I’m proud to be a student here. To be clear, I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with NYU or that it’s a bad choice. I’m simply pointing out that going to a state school or a “safety school” is not the end of the world. Personally, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

I’ve met truly great, genuine people and formed friendships that will likely last for a lifetime.

I discovered my passion for research after becoming a Research Assistant in one of the clinical psychology labs on campus. (It’s almost unheard of for a freshman to get this position!)

I’m closer to my family than I would have been if I had gone to NYU, which means more visits and quality time with the people who love me unconditionally.

Also, since I’m not accumulating as much debt as I would be if I were attending NYU, I can afford to treat myself every once in a while.

For instance, when Macy’s is having a huge online sale and there’s a gorgeous Michael Kors raincoat that is marked down 50% from its original price.

And, let’s be honest, the campus here is really not too hard on the eyes.