Happy Valentine's Day sports fans! While everyone else is talking about the best restaurants, chocolates, and bouquets for the people we love, we're here to talk about picking a school you love! You will be playing your sport there for the next 4 years, after all.
The next four years of your life are supposed to be the best. No matter who you talk to, they tell you how much fun you will have in college and remind you to cherish it because it goes by quickly. The more people you talk to, the more their opinions start to weigh on you. Now a decision that was supposed to be fun and exciting, has new pressures added to it.
Related: 3 Main Factors to Consider When Choosing a College
When I committed to Saint Leo University to play volleyball, this was the only school I visited, and I only visited once. All of my other friends went through the recruiting process for all different sports, visited numerous schools, and talked to multiple coaches. Most of them committed and transferred within a year or just stuck it out and hated their four years of college.
So how did I know that Saint Leo was my perfect match?
The Proof is in the People
The answer is simple: when I took my visit, I loved everyone I met: from the coaches to the janitor, to the team, to the cafeteria workers. The people are what sold me. I knew that if I didn't like the people in the environment, I would not like the environment. On my visit, I was welcomed with open arms by the most friendly, genuine people I have ever met. I knew that if the school attracts good people, it must be a good place to be.
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities and Campus Visits
Finding a good school is easy. You look for a location you could see yourself living in, a team that you like, academics that will prepare you for the future, and coaches that will support you. Picking the right school is about all of these things, but also finding a place and a community of people that you love on a deeper level and who will encourage you to grow as an individual.
20 years from now you're not going to remember the modern athletic facility or the advanced technology in the classroom; you're going to remember the relationships you built and the people who impacted you.
I'm not saying this is the only formula, but I am going on my sixth year without transferring. I have never regretted my decision, and I call this school my home.
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* Originally published on February 14, 2022, by Anna Garrett
