I started looking at colleges my first year of high school, as my parents stressed the importance of choosing the perfect school for a college degree very early on in my life. I visited large and small schools to get a sense of the variety of options available, and ultimately decided that a small school with an individualized and personalized education would be perfect for me.
Capital was the first university I ever visited. My older brother was going on an athletic visit, and my parents encouraged me to come along to view the campus. So, I drove about two hours to Columbus from Cleveland, not knowing what to expect as I was only 14 years old.
When I arrived, I spent most of my time in the Capital Center and did not even experience campus in its entirety. However, every person my family encountered was friendly, and I felt this sense of “home” as I explored and spoke with different people. I loved everything that I saw, the beauty of each building, the trees around campus, the school colors with grey and purple, and more. I was aesthetically pleased. Then I heard all about the features of Capital, including the Bexley community location while also being only 10 minutes away from downtown Columbus – home to many corporate offices, which means home to many internship opportunities! I loved the idea of getting a small school education with ample school opportunities. After this initial visit, I realized Capital was perfect for me, even when I was 14 years old.
As I continued college visits, I went to many different schools within Ohio. Big schools, small schools, schools in the city, schools in rural areas, just trying to grasp what I exactly wanted for myself. Between my first visit to Capital my first year of high school, I visited over 20 college campuses until the end of my junior year. After every tour I went on, I found that Capital was still my favorite. My parents kept telling me not to fixate my eyes on one place, but I truly felt that Capital was where I wanted to be.
As soon as applications opened my senior year, I applied to Capital and two other safety schools. However, the other schools did not matter as I soon got accepted into Capital and was ecstatic about starting my journey at a place I have loved for so long.
I graduated high school in the middle of the pandemic, so when I got to Capital in September 2020, I lived in a world I had never experienced before. The first three days I arrived on campus were scary.I did not know anyone and was worried about attending social events during a pandemic. After just one week, I was confident in my decision to attend Capital. Every day of my life was exciting and entertaining- even with hybrid classes and fewer on-campus events.
By getting involved and attending on-campus events, I have made many lifelong friends. I loved my hands-on classes and the entire educational experiences I received in my classes. In addition, I connected with my professors, whom I have been able to use as mentors since my first semester here.
I received many opportunities for work experience on campus almost immediately. After my first semester on campus, I began an internship with the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) department at Capital and started working hands-on with Capital’s social media. Not only is it a fun job, but it is job preparing me for my future career in marketing and public relations. I also started working in the admissions office, giving tours to potential students, and understanding administrative work. I was able to get paid for something I enjoy doing, meet new people and talk about how much I love the school I attend.
As I am nearing my final year at Capital, I am filled with nothing but positive memories and experiences that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am constantly taking advantage of opportunities that are changing my life day by day. I have received so much job experience by being located in Columbus and making connections that will set me up for success in the future. If I could go back, I would not change anything. I have had a near-perfect experience at a school I have so much love for, and I hope that all Capital students have been able to experience the beauty within this school.