Wow, college is definitely a complete transformation from high school to say the least. However, I definitely don’t see that as a bad thing in the slightest. My first impression of UW Oshkosh and what it holds can be boiled down to these three terms: independence, reassurance and opportunity.

Independence: Although I anticipated that a new lifestyle that involves being on campus 24 hours a day would entail that I’d need to make more executive decisions on how my day could go, it didn’t really hit me that I was entirely on my own until I was dropped off here by my parents.

I now had the freedom to use the gym when I wanted, go to the library to study if I needed the peace and much more. Every day I need to find time to complete my work, begin to get involved with clubs and make appointments.

On top of all of this, I still have to find free time to relax my brain. This crowded schedule is definitely new, but it’s not negative in the slightest because it keeps me occupied and gives me validation that I’m being productive.

Reassurance: Boy, is there a ton of it. The teachers, faculty and e-board students for all of the student organizations here were beyond welcoming to say the very least.

From Taste of UW Oshkosh to stepping into my first college classroom, the support of the staff here at UWO has been remarkable. Being two hours away from my hometown of Kenosha didn’t feel quite as bad once I realized there are thousands of people here assisting me in the process of making the campus my new home.

Opportunity: Ultimately, this word justifies my decision to become a student here at Oshkosh this fall. Last year when I toured the campus and heard about all of the chances to advance as a leader, student and ultimately as a person in a preferred job field, that absolutely blew me away.

My dream career is to be a sports commentator/news broadcaster, and when I found out that the radio/TV/film major encased alumni students who are now working for Major League Baseball affiliates due to the tools that they received here, my decision was immediately made.

Now after being here for a couple of weeks, my love for this campus and happiness with my decision to go here for school has only grown exponentially.

From the free-flowing vibe of independence to the endless resources in clubs, intramurals and majors that lead to successful routes in the future, I’m confident that I, along with many other freshmen, have made an exemplary decision in choosing Oshkosh as their college of choice.