When the Frogs Became my Favorite

Five years ago, my life changed. I opened the mailbox to see I had gotten into my dream school, TCU. I can't imagine college any other way at any other place. I love TCU so much and always will. Thank you for the best four years, ready to be a frog for the rest of my life! (no, the corgi has nothing to do with the story, I just loved it) #proudalum #gofrogs #tcu #anniversary #earlydecision

As I was thinking about what to write today, there was only one thing that came to mind. Today is a day my life changed forever. Five years ago tonight, I came home from drill team practice, expecting there to be an envelope on the kitchen table. When it was not there,

I immediately checked the mailbox. The fate of the next four years would hopefully be in the small box.

A few years before the end of high school, I traveled around parts of the country looking for places I wanted to call home from 2017 to 2021. Going from Colorado to California to other parts of Texas, there was one place that stole my heart immediately. The beautiful campus, the sports teams, the closeness to home, it was perfect. We planned two of our college trips back to back, which I think is the way to go if you’re down to two places and need to make a decision. We traveled to Denver on a Friday to do the University of Denver’s big day of admissions activities, although it was beautiful and a great place, I didn’t have the same feeling of being farther from home (yes I am a homebody if anyone didn’t know that). That following Monday, we did the same day at TCU. That’s when I knew that I was destined to be a Horned Frog.

From that day forward, I did whatever I could to ensure that I was going to spend my college years in Fort Worth -- seriously, I did everything: the application, the essays, an interview, even a Hamilton parody video (it’s on youtube…). Then, on December 5th, 2016, I got the letter. All of my hard work was hopefully about to pay off. After going to Monday at TCU, I decided to apply early decision, meaning if I got in, I was going there no matter what. I was set. When I got home from practice and checked the mail, that big purple and white envelope was staring me in the face. I couldn’t contain my smile or excitement. I did it.

Little did I know that the next four years would be the greatest years of my life. My friends, experiences, and life lessons I learned in Fort Worth are the most valuable I could ask for. When people ask me how I knew that TCU was the place for me, I honestly can’t explain it. Now, four years later, I still don’t have words but I think I can describe it more now: TCU isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling, it’s magic, it’s home. Happy Anniversary to the day that changed my life forever, to starting my journey at the place I will love forever. Thank you, TCU, for the best part of my life with the best people and the best memories. Go Frogs always and forever!