In the blink of an eye, I was suddenly a senior in high school selecting from a list of colleges to apply to. Having so many options to choose from was honestly unfathomable. I was my single mother’s only daughter, so she forever considers me her little girl “mommy’s little girl” forever. It sounds all sweet until the age where mommy’s little girl needs to no longer be treated like a little girl. We weren’t on the same page about it and I felt she was a tad too overprotective with me. Being a twin made it a lot easier for her to make sure I was never alone. For as long as I can remember, every time I asked to go out she would reply with, “Is Brandon going?”. Brandon is my twin brother - he didn’t want to hang out with me, and I had no desire to hang out with him.

The end of the college search process was so close. Everyone was talking about schools across the country that I had never even considered visiting. I would go home to show my mom the cool campuses online, but in her eyes whenever she saw anything that wasn’t in NYC, it simply wasn’t an option for me. Honestly, most people in my family didn’t really believe in “going away for school”. But if you know me... hearing no only made me want the "yes" even more.

So, what did I do? I applied to certain schools because I wanted to, and I included a few that were extra far - just to prove a point. Then, eventually it was time to fill out the FAFSA. My diverse college list was right in front of my mom’s eyes. And I can't lie... she was a little mad and confused, but she was also the one who implemented in my head at a young age to always follow my dreams!

After she understood how serious I was about exploring different options, she agreed to take me to Florida to visit some campuses. I had always loved Florida, but stepping onto Florida International University's (FIU) campus truly convinced me. Her only request in return was that I apply to NYU. I had always heard about how competitive NYU was. Not only did I doubt that I would be accepted, but I also doubted whether I could succeed in the rigorous classes. Truthfully, I ended applying only to appease my mother.

Fast forward a few months down the line... I got an email for an interview at NYU. I was still in love with the idea of being in Miami, so I hesitated to bring it up to my mom since I still had my doubts. Then one day, I was standing in line at the post office and got the decision email for FIU. I quickly opened it and in big green letters it said “ACCEPTED”. I screamed! I put my deposit down the same day.

A few weeks later, NYU wasn’t even on my mind. While I was sitting in my bed for history class (...thanks Covid), I got NYU’s decision email. Before I could even log onto the portal, I heard my mom screaming. My heart sank. There was no way I got in, right? However, she came running and squeezed me so tightly. She told me how proud she was with tears running down her face. I began crying, but not for the same reasons. I knew there was no way to turn this offer down, no matter how badly I wanted to. How could I even think about saying no to the university that students from across the world dream of going to their entire life? I knew I couldn’t, so on the same day... I logged into FIU’s portal to withdraw.

Today, I'm almost done with my second year here at NYU, and I couldn’t be happier. I enjoy all my classes, maintain a decent GPA, and always feel supported by the people around me. Not only was I lucky to not have a horror roommate story, but my roommate also became my best friend. There is always a new place to explore and a new person to meet. Living in the city has forced me to grow up in unexplainable ways. Being surrounded by so many different cultures and environments is something I wouldn’t experience in the same way at another school. It feels corny to say, but now I can confidently believe that everything truly happens for a reason.

My point here isn’t to tell you to listen to your mom more, or to brag about how amazing NYU is. It is to tell you to be thankful for unexpected changes of plans. It may take a while to see the bigger picture, but the more you open your eyes the more you’ll see. Take advantage of the opportunities that come to you, because you never know if it’s the one you’ve really been waiting for.