Where have the last 4 years gone, and where will I be in the next 4 years?

Grade 12 is definitely the most stressful of all grades.  Grade 9 was getting to know the people, grade 10 was all about having fun with friends, grade 11 was a reminder that we are still in school and need to start batting down the hatches, and grade 12…well it’s the most stressful of them all.  You have to start thinking about what you want to do with your life and with this on your mind stay focused on your classes.  With all this stress do we really make the best decision we can on choosing a post-secondary institution.  Why don’t more of us choose a school out west or down south?  The majority of us who do stray away that far from home are most likely on a scholarship anyways.  Maybe you’re not ready to venture too far away from your loving parents, or maybe the school of your dreams just happens to be right around the corner from your house.  There are lots of factors that will either attract or repel one from a school.  I can imagine a Toronto student applying would like to go to a university that is relatively large in size and a student who was on student government all throughout high school wouldn’t mind a school with lots of school spirit and a girl who liked having lots of boyfriends would like a school with lots of cute boys, who knows?  There are too many factors to count.  The reason for this is last year when I travelled to California and saw Stanford.  I have never seen a school so attractive.  I mean if you have the grades why not shoot for the moon and apply.  I think too many of us narrow our preferences to the point we just think of a school that is within 5 hours of our home.  I guess whichever one you choose, you better like it because the next four or so years this will be your home away home.