Hi readers! My name is Annalise Cosco and I am a new writer at NextStepU. I’ll be sharing my stories and advice with you, but first I thought you should get to know a little bit about me.
There is a quote that I love: “Live life to the fullest.”
Yes, it may be a cliché, but for more reasons than one it’s the motto I chose to live by. And, in my first piece of advice to you, it’s also the motto I encourage all of you to live by, for at least throughout your college years. College is the best years of your life — I’m sure you’ve all heard it a million times — but then again, if it’s something you’ve heard so often, it might just be because it’s true.
When I was going through the college planning process, I didn’t believe that anything could be better than living in my hometown, with the friends I’ve known since kindergarten, having my mom do my laundry and making homemade sauce every Sunday for dinner. Therefore, when the time came to make my college decision, I decided to pick a school LITERALLY 10 minutes down the road from my house.
After a year though, I felt like something was missing. Following my freshman year of college, I transferred to St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. and it was then that I discovered the true meaning of the phrasing “living life to the fullest.” I was a Communication/Journalism major who wasted no time getting involved, even though I was a transfer. Within my first week at Fisher I was a member of the school television station and by the end of my college career, I also wrote for the school newspaper and had three internships.
My years at Fisher are filled with memories and friendships to last a lifetime. My sophomore year when I transferred, I lived in a single dorm room, alone. By my senior year I lived in a house with five other girls, thanks to becoming best friends with my RA who lived down the hall. If I could offer advice to anyone — whether you are a transfer, a first-year student, or anything in between — don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. That person you talk to across the hall from you might just turn out to be your new best friend.
At the end of the day, remember this little phrase: live your college life to the fullest and it will be the best years of your life.
Annalise was born and raised in Fairport, N.Y. and attended St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. She has a love and passion for writing and is a complete “news junkie.” She’s the kind of girl who loves shopping, chick flicks and pumpkin flavored everything, but is also a complete sports fanatic!
Get more college planning advice at www.NextStepU.com!
