Erich Trier '06

Going to college is a big step in life since it often determines one's future in the real world. My decision to attend college was a tough one because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. After graduating high school, however, I made the choice that being in college could possibly be the greatest four years (I would ever spend) of my life.

When I was in high school I had no idea where I would be or what I was going to do after I graduated. During my senior year I had three colleges in mind: Ferrum College, University of Richmond, and George Mason University. I had originally found out about Ferrum through my good friend Kenny who went to high school with me and is now my roommate. My main objective at the time was to go to the University of Richmond, but I took a closer look into Ferrum. I visited the school in the spring and I was very impressed with the campus. The countryside around Ferrum seemed peaceful - and miles away from all the city noise. Of curse, the thing that really attracted me to Ferrum was that it had a good political science program that is my current major.

Making the choice to go to college was a wise choice that has worked out perfectly for me. Ferrum has given me the opportunity to play sports, do well in school, and have a good time. So far, this year's college experience has given me the chance to realize what the real world is, strictly business. College is completely different from high school in that I have a lot of freedom. Being on my own was one of my first big steps here, and it took me a while to get used to it. I saw college as a wonderful opportunity to move away from home and experience other things, meet new people, and adapt to a new home. College has come to represent a major step toward my preparation for a life independent of my family.

It is also true that I came to Ferrum with the hope and ambition of playing tennis. In fact, Ferrum recruited me to play tennis for the school. Gary Holden, the men's tennis coach was one of the people who influenced me to come to Ferrum to play sports and also take advantage of its academic offerings. So far, I'm doing great in school and I'm a starter on Ferrum's tennis team. Had I attended George Mason or University of Richmond, I probably would not have been recruited.

During high school, I was used to very small classes and Ferrum continues to offer such an intimate setting - classes having as few as 20 students. This was a very important consideration because a small class setting gives me the chance to participate easily in class and it also provides the professors with adequate time to acknowledge and to help students. By the third or fourth week of school, I was already pretty familiar with my professors, and this made me feel more comfortable with their offer of assistance. It is now common knowledge on campus that a student struggling academically can seek help from the Academic Resource Center (ARC) which is an excellent place to study. The ARC sponsors study groups for students who have problems studying for tests. I have found that the ARC to be a good place for me to concentrate since it is nice and quiet.

The student population at Ferrum College is about 1,000. This is a good size because everyone gets the chance to know one another. The people here are very friendly, and I have gotten the chance to make close friends. The friends you make in college are the ones you stay friends with forever.

Well, for me college has worked out great. I love the college life, and Ferrum has benefited me greatly. I've had lots of opportunities to become prepared for and to achieve success in life. So far college has made me realize what to expect later in life: the value of knowledge, paying bills, buying groceries and taking care of myself. These skills are gained readily in college, and making the choice to attend Ferrum has been the best choice in my life so far.