When I use to think of college, I thought of red plastic cups filled to the brim with foamy kegged beer, Greek sorority life, cramming the night before a midterm and attractive new people to look at. However my opinions of College changed with every year. As an average high school students applying for colleges I did not know what to expect. The schools I looked at mostly consisted of huge University campuses. Even though education is the main principal behind becoming a college student. Education was the farthest thing from my mind. I was more interested in the parties, living on my own and meal plans.

On the day of my high school graduation I received a call from Mercy. They congratulated me as I had been accepted to the college. My older brother was a Mercy College senior at that time. He told me that it was a good school. I decided to follow in my brothers footsteps. I saw College as one big party. Mercy College is not that kind of school. I learn that the hard way my first year.

Mercy College to me was very strict at first. I thought of Mercy much like another parent telling me what I should do. At first I hated Mercy and wanted to be home so badly. During my freshman year I would go home every other weekend. I made plenty of friends and I also broke many rules and had to pay the consequences. To me the consequences at that time we’re not worth it. The following year I decided that I would not be attending mercy any longer.

My year away from Mercy I lived on my own and had to work two jobs to support myself. During that time away from school, I learned from life being an adult is very hard. So I ran back to school because I was not ready to be an adult. Nor did I want to be a waitress for the rest of my life. I decided to go to my local community college and struggled with completing my work. Many of my friends from high school attendance the Community College and constantly tempted me to skip classes. The temptation got to me and I ended up missing deadlines for assignments and failing. I realize that I did much better at Mercy so I decided to return to Mercy the following semester.

My sophomore year I became a commuter to Mercy’s Manhattan campus. Returning to Mercy I declared my major as health science. While at Mercy I did not have distractions. Mercy’s Manhattan campus was small and quiet. It allowed me to realize how important your professors are to your education. I had a professor in my philosophy class that really made me ponder life and how I viewed the world. With this newfound love for education I decided to dorm in Dobbs Ferry my junior year.

That year I became more proactive in Mercy. I joined several clubs and attended several events. I was apart of the Mercy College Spirit Squad and apart of Mercy College ALPHA club. I participated in the Mercy College date auction for charity and the Mercy College fashion show. I signed up for a lunch with a leader, who happened to be news ancho Scott McGee for channel 12. I believe that really impacted me into changing my major. That experience made me realize that I to, could be an anchor or anything I wanted to be, for that matter. I would just have to think, what would I love to be? What would I love to do for the rest of my life? My first opinion about a careers, was to do something that made a lot of money and after that lunch with a leader I thought I should do something that I loved. I realize that if you do something you love it is no longer a job.

The only thing that I was good at was making conversation. I could always talk my way out of trouble. But changing my major to communications from health science would be a big leap of faith. Would my parents understand this change? Did I waste my time the past 3 years of school? I had a good talk with my counselor Najja Beaulieu-Hains and she told me to try a few communication classes. She told me that, communications was her major and she loved it. I decided to take a chance and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I started to take communication courses and did very well without trying to hard. I got to thinking, imagine if I did try. I believe that if I didn’t go to Mercy, I don’t know if I would have changed my opinion about my career.

While in the communications major I learned that there is multiple fields that I could strives for. I had always love music and people. I came to the conclusion that radio or TV was the place for me. I am now a Media Studies TV and Radio Production major. I am in between being a senior and a junior. I don’t believe I wasted my time. I believe I slowly took the steps to being the person that I am today. Today I am grateful to Mercy for my education. I am actually excited about going to classes and love the work that I do. I don’t feel like I’m pulling my teeth to go to classes. Now I go to class thinking, what else can I learn? I wonder what we will do next week? I believe that my professors play a huge role in this. I believe that the Media Studies program is so beneficial because the professors are passionate about this field and have worked in this field before. I feel like I am preparing for real life. I have a thirst for more and more education.

My professor Michael Perrota, for my Feature Articles class reminded me how much I love to write and story tell. I feel like with every assignment my writing gets better and better, thanks to my professor. And my professor Louis Grasso, for my TV Production class makes me feel like I’m at work and I need to know everything that goes on in the studio. Because of that class I appreciate movies/ TV and all that is incorporated with it a lot more. I have a better understanding of all the things that we sometimes take for granted as a viewer. I honestly feel like my professors care about me and my progress. I love the fact that Mercy has a small class environment, where professors can interact with students and know them by name. If I don’t come to class my professors will notice opposed to a huge University where you are just a number in a class. I don’t feel like I’m just a paycheck to my professors. Rather I think I am an apprentice to some amazing gurus.

My freshman year I didn’t see what I can see now. Honestly I appreciate Mercy and all that I’ve learned from my experience here. I want to do more for the school and give back, when I have a chance. Mercy is a great educational environment. I’ve met some great people at Mercy including faculty and students. Mercy helped me be the person I am today and I thank Mercy for all the amazing memories that I have. Mercy, I love you and I’m glad that I came here.