My journey to UAF

When I was in high school I just always knew that I was going to college.  I wanted to go to school for culinary since I took a program during high school that allowed me to study culinary for half of the school day.  I started off my college experience by going to the community college closest to my house (near Chicago).  After the first semester there I decided that I did not want to study culinary any more, it was more of a hobby than a career for me.  I then decided to study psychology.  After I graduated from that school with an AA, I had to choose a 4-year school to go to.

I went and visited a few universities near my house to try to decide where I wanted to go next.  None of them really impressed me so I kept looking.  Then I just got the crazy idea of going really far away from home and experiencing something completely different, so I started to look up schools in Alaska and I decided to choose UAF over other schools here because it is in a smaller town and seemed more community oriented.  I also wanted to go to the coldest and most beautiful place possible.  When I told my family about where I was going they thought I was joking, but I had my heart set on it.

After I decided what school I wanted to go to, I had to decide how I was going to get there.  No one in my family had ever been to Alaska and I didn’t know anyone that lived up here.  Because of that my family thought it would be better and safer if I flew up here.  Although they wanted me to fly, I had a different idea in mind.  I wanted to drive.  I had never really gone on a road trip before and I hadn’t been to many different states.  I asked my friend if she would drive up with me and then fly back so I didn’t have to drive up here by myself and she said yes!  We took two weeks to drive up here, stopping at every touristy place that we saw.  It was an amazing and beautiful trip.  I had never seen mountains before!

Once I got to Fairbanks, I already loved it.  It just had that small town feel while still having all the necessities and luxuries you could want.  I started settling in to my house and my friend helped me.  Then the day came where she had to leave.  I dropped her off at the airport and then realized that I had no one.  The closest people I knew were 3,000 miles away.  I was extremely nervous and just wanted to go back home.  I did end up sticking it out a semester, I told myself that I had already paid for everything and I wasn’t leaving until after the semester ended.  By the time that semester ended, I didn’t even think about moving back home.  Of course I missed my family, friends, and pets, but I just loved it here.  Everyone was so nice and helpful. 

I am still up here and starting my second year at UAF.  I am actually thinking about living in Alaska after I graduate I love it so much!
 

If you are looking into coming to Alaska, I hope that you choose UAF so you can start creating your own journey!