Even when I was little, I had many preconceived notions about what success was, and the

exact path my life had to follow to achieve these results. The plan always was to complete
high school, graduate, go to college for four years, and then to get a job. The plan would also
entail getting married, settling down, and starting a family. There was no doubt in my mind
that I would follow these standards, and I never would have guessed that things would
change before I even completed high school.

In high school, I excelled in classes and enjoyed the friendships I made. But I was getting
restless. Something changed. The same routine year after year was tiring, and I was ready
for a drastic change. For most of sophomore year, I thought nothing of this, and continued
studying, focusing on science and math courses because they were always the most
interesting and challenging for me.

During the summer before my junior year, I attended the STEM Summer Enrichment
Program at Penn State Harrisburg because of my continued interest in engineering and
science. I learned about many different STEM fields, while also getting to know about the
opportunities Penn State offers.

I was so excited and eager to know anything and everything about Penn State after
completing my camp that I immediately scheduled a visit to University Park. July 11th,
2017. The date and day itself are ingrained in my memory. I was so thrilled to tour the
main campus that I was bouncing off the walls of the car as my entire family made the two
and half hour drive north to State College.

As cliché as it may sound, it really was love at first sight when I stepped foot on campus. My
father also attended the university, and as we toured, he commented on the new buildings
constructed after he had graduated, and all the changes that had been made over the years.

I was informed about a program that would allow me to attend college in place of my
senior year. I decided, right then, that this was the answer to my restlessness. When junior
year started, instead of looking into colleges, I was starting my application to Penn State. I
went through the admissions process and received news of my acceptance just like any
normal senior would have.

For several months, I kept my plans entirely secret from my closest friends, unaware of
how I was going to break the news to them. I spent the rest of my summer trying to figure
out how I was going to explain this convoluted process, since nobody outside my family
had known until my junior year started.
I remember the first two people I told. It was our first Student Council meeting, and we
happened to be in a supply closet. They were utterly blindsided and confused, asking why I
was doing this and how everything could possibly work out. My close friends were the
hardest hit by the fact that I was trying to leave them the next year without a warning. Most
of my classmates were shocked- how could the potential valedictorian be leaving our
school? Throughout the year, I explained my situation countless times to many individuals,
many responding with surprise but also in support of my decision.

It’s been a difficult road, there’s not a doubt about that. And I, of course, miss the people I
grew up with, my family, and all those senior year perks. But, the whole experience has
taught me an important life lesson. I believe in taking the road less travelled because I
would not be where I am today not having gone through with my chosen unexpected path.

Going to college an entire year early had not been on my radar at the end of my sophomore
year, and then, by the start of my junior year, I was elbows deep in college application
preparation. This dramatic shift shows how quickly I decided to take the untraditional,
unexpected path. In any other circumstance, it’s unlikely that I would be sitting here, right
now, reading this podcast. I have met so many new people and made so many important
connections that I never would have imagined possible had I not simply embraced the
unexpected.