It's not as good as people say. It's better.

I cannot count how many times I have heard someone say, “College is the best time in a young person’s life.” And for me, that has turned out to be an understatement.

If there were any advice I could give to somebody about deciding on college it would be to choose the school that's right for you. I can't stress it enough. Listen to what other people say (maybe!), but don’t let anyone else decide where you should go. It's you who'll be living with whatever you decide.

I wanted to make sure I got the true “college experience” i.e. leaving home, being on my own, making a whole new group of friends. So I traveled 1,100 miles away from home to get that experience. At times I miss home, but not as much as I miss school when I’m on break.

When you arrive, be adventurous. Step out of your comfort zone. Get involved in a club or team. You won't regret it.

I'm involved in extracurricular activities (sport), which helps make friends quickly. The friends I have made here will be my friends for the rest of my life. They will most likely be in my wedding someday.

As far as classes are concerned: well, I know not everyone finds this, especially in a big University, but for me they're about the same as what I was used to before.

The weirdest thing to get used to was the freedom. Not only did boys live in the same dorm, they could be in our rooms! I'd been to a single-sex school, with quite strict rules -- actually very strict rules. Now I really felt like I was finally able to be myself. I could make my own decisions. I didn’t have to go to bed at a certain time. I didn’t have an in-dorm time. I didn’t even have to come home at night.

And I found my own way of working: managing my time. I’m not sure if I manage it well, but I always find time for everything. Procrastination has got a bad name in lots of places, but I think you can use it to your advantage. You just have to be smart about it. For me, procrastinating has become a way of life. I don’t think I could write a paper now without procrastinating. I guess I like the pressure, because even when I try to start early, I end up working at the last minute. I tend to make notes for myself whenever inspiration strikes.

One time last semester I had a ten page paper due. It was about 4 o’clock the afternoon before the paper was due. I hadn’t done anything really, except for looking up and printing off all the information I needed. At six, my friend came into my room and asked if I wanted to go to a hockey game. I couldn’t refuse the offer and decided to bring my information with me. During breaks in the game I highlighted facts I needed and got anything I could use. After the game I was happy. I had been able to do something I wanted and hung out with my friends, but I was still in good position to finish the paper a bit later in the night than I'd planned. I got about 7 hours of sleep, but I finished the paper and that’s all that matters.

Anyway, a lot has happened, and I've learned a lot. Not only about the things I've done in class, but also about myself, and how I handle things in a way that works for me.

And it's better than anything I could have ever imagined. Yes there are the occasional stressful times, but all in all it has been amazing.