Looking back at lobsters…

Angela Tongohan
Class of 2020

(9/2017) Second semester of my senior year of high school, I faced one of the most important decisions of my adolescence. Which was, I had to choose which college I wanted to attend. At the time, I had been accepted to a number of colleges in the area, but only two really caught my eye.

The Mount was always one of my top choices. From a young age, my family and I have been visiting the Grotto yearly. It was my mother’s dream for me to attend Mount St. Mary’s, and she was rather vocal about it.

I liked the Mount. But I always felt like it was a little too close. A little too familiar. Which wasn’t a deal-breaker, but growing up in generally the same area for most of my life, I was set on college being a completely new adventure.

My dream school was the University of Maine. I had always been in love with the state of Maine. The idea of small towns, the proximity to the ocean, the lighthouses, the lobster. Everything about it appealed to me. When I received my acceptance letter that year, I was ecstatic. I thought I had everything figured out.

My mother was not as excited as I was about my decision. She felt that Maine was a little too far, a little too big, and a little too unknown. She convinced me to visit the Mount. Just to make sure that I absolutely didn’t want to go to this school.

Now, as we all know I did end up choosing the Mount; this is why. The minute I stepped onto the campus, I was amazed by how beautiful it was. It looked much different when you’re standing next to the Mother Mary statue up near the Grotto. There was something homey about the campus. It was like entering a secluded, gorgeous little world. Walking around, following the tour guide, I couldn’t help but feel excited. And another thing I found peculiar was that everyone looked so happy.

The religious aspects of the school were also very prominent. The statues, the church, the view of the Mother Mary statue standing sentinel, over the entire campus. Everything was so enchanting. I was someone who grew up and grew into my Catholic faith, and being a part of a university that could foster that made me feel safe.

After that everything changed. All my plans for the University of Maine were replaced with plans for a future at the Mount. I joined the Facebook pages, followed their Instagram, I watched all their YouTube videos, and slowly but surely fell more and more in love.

When I finally attended the school my opinion of it only got better. Now, I’m in my second year, and I am pretty set on a double major in English and Biology. I currently take a Genetics class and every Tuesday and Thursday, I attend an English Lit class., between the two of them and my other classes I couldn’t be more excited.

Another plus is the Mount always has activities to do: outdoor adventure with Crux, parties with Amp, or (my personal favorite), social work with the Office of Social Justice. I never feel bored, and constantly feel fulfilled.

I also have great fun at work. For all those who feel like campus jobs are an absolute life-ruiner, it isn’t here at the Mount. I work as an FA over at the ARCC, and it couldn’t be a more pleasant experience. The supervisors are easy to talk to and skilled. The job itself is not stressful, and allows for time to also focus on your studies. I’ve made several friends from working at the gym, and I am so excited to work there again this year.

I do not regret choosing the Mount. Sure, there may be times that I wonder "What if?". What if I went to Maine? What if I chose to move so far away? But then I look outside my dorm window, see the gorgeous green grass, the tall stone buildings, the clear blue sky, and think to myself, "I’m happy where I am now."

So, for all those students who are sitting at home, struggling to choose which school to go to, I would like to give some advice. Visit the school! That is so important. It is important that you feel comfortable and happy in the environment you will be spending most of your college career in.

Another thing I would say is, if you like me are use to being near home, make sure you are comfortable being far away. Because I thought I wanted to be as far as possible. I wanted to go to Maine for goodness sake! But now, I can’t imagine being in school and not having the option to come home every weekend or so.

But the most important thing to think about when choosing your future school is, "Am I going to be happy here?" And if the answer is yes, then you’ve found the one, kid.

Read other articles by Angela Tongohan