Senior Moments: Sometimes the easy choice is the right one

As I look back at my college hunt -- which actually seemed more like a safari -- the prominent lesson I learned is about bathing in a river.

This has nothing to do with hygiene and making sure I clean behind my ears, but everything to do with the fact that I finally know where I am going to college.

I am extremely excited to announce that in the fall I will be attending Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. Contrary to the ease with which the previous sentence was written, this has not been an easy decision to make; it has been a stressful journey with fear, doubt and cry-fests trying to make sure I never bathe in the river. Let me explain.

My decision between the colleges I applied to consisted of multiple factors: scholarship money, how the school met my needs, campus visits and prayer, to name the most important. I thought God was calling me to have a huge leap of faith in my college choice to choose a Catholic college 10 hours away from home, which was extremely scary to me. My family members are my best friends, and leaving them was going to be hard. Even after I knew that particular college was financially unattainable I still desperately wanted to be there, believing I would become everything I was meant to be only if I went there.

Hence the major stress. Luckily, the river awaited me.

I stayed overnight in the dorms at Truman with a student. As I talked with professors throughout the day, everything fell into place. The degree program was perfect for me, the library was beautiful, the school has a marching band, gorgeous dorms, edible cafeteria food, an awesome campus ministry and the school color is purple. Purple is my favorite color of all time. I still wanted to hate Truman, though, because everything about it was so easy and I thought this decision was one that should prove how committed I was to doing big things for God.

A few nights later I read 2 Kings 5:1-19: Naaman the leper is willing to do something challenging to become cured, but is mad about doing the easy thing Elisha tells him to do -- bathing in the river -- to get rid of his leprosy.

It was a "whoa" moment as I realized the leap of faith God was calling me to was to do the easy thing, to pick the college he made perfect for me. God's plan wasn't one of stress and dysfunction; his plan was for peace that falls into place when his timing is perfect. Truman was where I needed to be.

Seniors, I hope you're excited about the decision you've made for the fall, and congratulations! For me, the stress hasn't stopped with the decision to attend Truman like I thought it would. There are still deadlines to meet, paperwork to fill out and moments of doubt. But I have this inner resolve driving me forward, pushing me to just go bathe in the river.

Senior Mia Pohlman is writing a monthly column chronicling her final year at Perryville High School.