A week ago, I was set on attending The University of Alabama. I was infatuated with the idea of Division 1 athletics, a football program with 15 National Championships, over 30,000 students and a fresh start far away from home. I bought all sorts of propaganda, t-shirts, jackets, sunglasses, car decals, even a lanyard for my keys. I named my car Big Al; The Crimson Ride, in reference to the school mascot, Al the Elephant.

Earlier this week, I got the chance to take a tour led by a UA student, check out one of the brand new dorms, learn the history of the school, and visit with an Admissions adviser about what it takes to become a part of the Crimson Tide. I loved the campus, it was so shiny and big and new and full of opportunity, but the surrounding town was not what I was expecting. The streets were not maintained, the grass was dead and brown, and the people and students were not as friendly as I imagined in my fantasies of the almighty Alabama.

Turns out, I drove about 947 miles to find out I do not want to roll with the tide, and I would encourage anyone else who is considering an out of state, or even just a long-distance college to attend, to do the same. Though it was a long, tiring, and a moderately expensive trip, it was a great way to spend time with my family and get more information to base my future decisions on.

I also had the chance to tour Arkansas State University’s campus and there is no way to compare it to Alabama. ASU has about 13,000 students and 16 Division 1 athletic teams, so it has the hometown ‘everybody knows everybody’ feel of WTAMU with the extracurricular activities of a much larger school. The campus was closer together and is still in the growing process, but the construction did not limit students from their life on campus. Everything seemed peaceful and green and clean. The surrounding community of Jonesboro was obviously supportive of the Red Wolves, and everything was well kept.

I fell in love with ASU, which was the exact opposite of what I was going for, and I am completely satisfied. My campus tours were the best and easiest way for me to learn what I want and to get a feel for the schools I went to. I encourage anyone who is looking for potential schools to try to go on a campus tour or get in touch with students that will tell the truth.

College is about learning and growing and experiencing life in ways that are not available to us before our early adult years, so it’s important to shop around to find what place fits you best and caters to your specific wants and needs. There are a multitude of resources dedicated to helping high schoolers find the right place for them in their college years, so take advantage of them.