It was never an option for me, not even a plan B; I wasn’t going to go to community college.

My senior year of high school, I was accepted into multiple universities in-state as well as out-of-state. I had committed to the University of Montana as an English major, been assigned a room, scheduled my classes, but with no college savings, I had to decline admission last minute. I was then left with no plan B or C.

With images of the stereotypical college experience floating around in my mind, I was hit with a major reality check when I had to make a plan B out of nothing.

Heartbroken and disappointed, I pulled myself together and looked at my options. I didn’t have many that were viable. It was almost too late to accept admission to EWU by that point, and out-of-state was too expensive, so, I hastily applied to SFCC as a last resort.

I was afraid that I was going to miss out on typical college experiences, not make friends and begrudgingly go to my classes wishing that I was somewhere else. This path was never in my plans, not even something I considered momentarily. Looking back, I had a right to feel upset given the circumstances; however, I now view it as one of the best mishaps I’ve ever experienced.

SFCC allowed me to explore options that I hadn’t previously thought about, and that’s the beauty of a community college. As a student, you’re given so much opportunity and guidance to fulfill any dreams you might have. You can try out different classes in different areas of study, and decide what you want to do at a low cost.

I often think back and imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t chosen SFCC as my plan B. Maybe I would be studying English like I had intended. I’m not sure if I would have ever tried out the music route, or if I would have discovered my love for journalism and news production.

Not only did choosing community college help me out with deciding my career path, but it also helped my family financially. Community colleges are much cheaper than state schools; saving you money while obtaining those sweet gen-eds that everyone needs no matter where you are. In total, fees and tuition at aommunity colleges end up being about $32,000 cheaper than at public 4-year state school per year.

The atmosphere at a community college is obviously much different than that of a four-year school. You are surrounded by people from all different walks of life, people who are at different stages in life than you, and also people who are just like you. Diversity is always present, which is important in any setting.

I’ve never felt so welcomed and at peace than I have at SFCC. Community colleges allow students to make real connections with professors and faculty, which in turn, helps the student feel at ease and more comfortable in their school environment.

Sometimes, community college comes with a negative connotation, but I’ve had only positive experiences at SFCC.

Community college is for everyone. I find it so important to keep community college as an option in your mind no matter the point in your life that you’re at.

Community college builds determined, hard-working students who strive to succeed in their future endeavors.

Some, like me, may just end up here by chance, but after a while, I realized that I am lucky to find myself here.

Whether it was plan A, B, or even C, community college can help kickstart passion and determination that grows into something so much more.