I remember when I was going through the college admissions process, everyone told me I would know which school was right for me because it would “just feel right.” As I dragged myself and my parents to visit colleges all over the country, I left each one excited about the opportunities they presented, the potential fun to be had and the amazing work done by students and faculty. But I never had that feeling.
Not anywhere.
Not even at Georgetown.
As the dreaded May 1 decision date approached, I couldn’t help but question if college was even the right decision for me. I found myself asking if the reason I never had that feeling was because college was not supposed to be in my immediate future.
Eventually, I forced myself to silence that pesky voice and began to think through all my options. At the end of the day, I was deciding between three schools: Georgetown, a large state school in the Mid-Atlantic and another private university closer to home in the South. As I pored over my endless pros and cons lists, I kept coming back to the idea that I wanted to spend my next four years at a place that felt like home. Somewhere that celebrated who I am and would support me in my ambitions.
Logically, I understood that Georgetown was the best school for academics (there truly is no better place to study international affairs in the world), and it checked many of my boxes, but something felt off.
I couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
I went to my school’s college counselor almost every day as I tried to sort through my options. Even after making the many pros and cons lists that she suggested, I still had no clue. I asked my friends where they thought I should go and where they saw me most, but even they were split. I was at a complete stalemate.
It wasn’t until I had a conversation with my dad that my perspective completely changed. He told me to start considering each school from the perspective of who I wanted to be in the future, not who I was at that moment. That forced me to reconsider everything. Who did I want to be?
At the time, I was definitely a hard worker who knew a good bit about the world, but something was missing. I knew that staying in my comfort zone would never allow me to grow or change.
I ultimately concluded that, in the future, I want to be someone who helps others, someone who leads with kindness, someone who is well-educated but understanding, and someone who has experienced everything the world has to offer.
This change in perception soon led to me Georgetown. The opportunities that the school and city offered were unparalleled and would push me to grow. Through the School of Foreign Service, specifically, I find that my understanding of how the world works is not as definitive or clear as I once believed. Through my time with my peers and classes, my eyes have been opened to so many careers and opportunities that I never even knew existed.
Another reason I believe Georgetown is helping me become the person I want to be is through the close-knit community that truly cares for each other. One of our core values is cura personalis, or care for the whole person, which I believe every Georgetown student exhibits. Through club mentorship programs or casual conversations with friends at the dining hall, I feel as though I am nurturing and developing every aspect of myself.
Now, when I walk around campus, I have that feeling.
I have that feeling when the bells in the Healy clock tower chime, when I walk along the Georgetown waterfront and see the National Mall ahead of me, when I sit with friends and discuss seemingly irrelevant topics for hours just because we’re interested in what one another has to say.
That’s not to say that I don’t have my low moments, nor that I have fully grown into the person I want to be. Rather, it shows that Georgetown has challenged me endlessly, which has led to a level of personal growth and accountability that I would be missing at other schools.
So, why did I choose Georgetown?
I chose Georgetown because it was going to ensure that I grew as a person, explored the world and made meaningful connections that would last me a lifetime.
Harrison is a current sophomore in the School of Foreign Service majoring in culture and politics and minoring in journalism and (maybe) Spanish. He is a current intern for the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union, is a part of the Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society, writes for the Free Speech Project, serves on the board of Hoya Blue, and contributes to Georgetown Stories! When not working on school or extracurriculars, Harrison can be found making playlists, exploring D.C., enjoying the outdoors or hanging out with friends.
