I used to be vehemently opposed to the University of Georgia. Not just as a prospective choice, but as an institution itself. Its whole image just seemed to rail against my idea of what a college should be. The people that go there... they almost seemed to offend me. For the past month, I've been saying little things like, "Oh, it wouldn't be so bad going to UGA" or "It really is a pretty good school," but they were just said to make me feel better or to provide some illusion of modesty. Inside, I knew that going to UGA would be all but the end of the world.

Last night, I realized that prestige, location, academics aren't the important thing. It's the people around you, the people you care about, who are ultimately going to make you happy. I've always disliked the South, but with the friends I'm close to now, I don't find living in Georgia all that unbearable. I'm not volunteering my matriculation to UGA, and I'd still rather go anywhere else, but now it's not so much of a "fall-back." In fact, it gives me a more positive outlook on anywhere I go, because now I know what matters in my life. I like this feeling.