After three years at Kadıköy Anatolian High School, I began my adventure in the United States in 11th grade. In 2011, I was accepted to the Ethel Walker School in Connecticut with an ASSIST scholarship from Lmk Consulting, the sole authorized representative in Turkey. EWS was a girls' boarding school located in the small town of Simsbury. During my two years at EWS, I experienced things I never imagined. I was on the Varsity Volleyball and Varsity Skiing teams for two years. I also played lacrosse my freshman year. I learned a lot through dorm life, and living there allowed me to become very close to both my teachers and my friends. Thanks to the friendships I made, I traveled and saw many places in the United States during long weekends and holidays. After two wonderful years, I was accepted to Boston University with a Presidential Scholarship. I'm now a sophomore at BU, studying psychology. Even though my EWS friends are far away, we still text each other every day, and it shows how lifelong the friendships we make can be. Being at university in a city like Boston is a wonderful opportunity. At BU, I participate in many activities outside of my classes. Last year, I joined Greek Life and am an active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity. I also serve on the Theta Membership Development Committee. I'm also the secretary of the Undergraduate Psychology Association. Finally, I'm the Dean's Host for the College of Arts & Sciences. As Dean's Host, we host accepted students at spring open houses and answer any final questions they and their families have before they make their decisions. Because we're representing the school, we naturally go through intensive training beforehand. Looking back, since arriving in the US in 2011, I've experienced so much, learned so much, and met so many people. I can feel the richness of these experiences in every aspect of my life. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to not be intimidated by the unknown, take the first step, and leave everything you know behind. Because life truly begins right there.