Expect the Unexpected
Expectations are a funny thing. We set them in almost every aspect of our lives. We find them in friendships, relationships, events, and even in ourselves. We have expectations when it comes to a first date, the ACT, or that one of our friends will come see us when we get our wisdom teeth pulled, but what happens when they don’t? These expectations are formed from experiences we have and goals we’ve set. Oftentimes, they’re a combination of the two; sometimes, they result in disappointment. What happens when these expectations get challenged?
When it came to college, I had high expectations. My heart was set on a specific university in Wisconsin. Originally, I’m from Minnesota and the idea of coming to flat Nebraska—lacking large bodies of water and filled with corn—wasn’t something I had considered. Instead, I was set on Wisconsin. I had been to this particular university briefly before and thought it would be the school for me. When the beginning of my senior year came around, I went to officially visit the college with a friend. We got there early in the fall and the campus was absolutely beautiful. However, as we began our tour, my perfect college began lacking in its appeal.
It had nothing to do with the outside aesthetic or its geographical location, but I found that the school didn’t match the goals I had for college. I saw college specifically as an opportunity to enhance my knowledge in the field I would be going into and a chance to better myself. As my visit ensued, I didn’t feel as if this was the place where I could best achieve my goals.
I had expected the perfect school on paper to meet my needs, but when it didn’t, I was in shock. I hadn’t really looked at any other schools, and now it was my senior year. My intentions were so good and my expectations high, but the product turned out to be not so great. Thankfully, I had previously made a list of schools that were affordable and offered my major. I hadn’t really planned on doing anything with this list until I realized my dream school, which, in theory, had everything I wanted, wasn’t what I wanted at all.
I’m not sure where most of you are at in your process of looking at schools. It could be that you’ve already decided. Maybe you are rushing to choose before the end of the school year, or you’re still trying to narrow down where you want to go. Maybe you’re like me. You were set on your dream school, but it didn’t meet expectations. Wherever you are in the process, don’t be afraid to think about whether or not this school will be able to meet the future goals you’ve set for yourself. If you don’t have future goals, make some and then look around you to see if your surroundings align with them.
In the late spring of 2018, after having to reprioritize, I accepted the offer I received from Concordia University, Nebraska. A school I found in the middle of a cornfield, yes, but one that I knew could meet the goals and expectations I had made for myself. An education with value(s), that’s what they tell us Concordia University provides and I couldn’t agree more.