I'll be honest. I didn't want to come here.

Not one bit. Not at all.

Penn State was that school I applied to in order to make my parents happy, to let them think they might get away with sending me to a school we could actually afford.

Yes, Penn State was a last resort, not because there was anything wrong with it, so to say, but because it just seemed like too easy a choice, a little boring, and way too expected of me. My brother had just finished up four years here, my parents knew the area almost as well as our hometown and, coming from Pennsylvania, I felt like State College was a relocation spot for most of my high school. I wanted to get out, meet new people and explore a new location.

Plus, I was positive I was destined to be a city girl -- a New York City girl to be exact -- a belief that led me as far as putting a down payment on my education at a pretty good school in the Big Apple. But, when my parents and I actually sat down and took a look at the numbers, the realization that the same down payment could probably cover several semesters of study at Penn State forced me to rethink my decision.

And all I can say now is it's probably the best thing I ever did.

Although it took me a few months here to get over my attitude -- and my belief that I belonged somewhere else -- I slowly began to realize that Penn State, and State College, weren't exactly your typical stuck-in-the-middle-of-Pennsylvania, out-of-touch locales. As much as I hated to admit it at first, I'm now pretty sure that just about anyone can find what they're looking for at Penn State.

You see, one of the things that had always pulled me toward the idea of city life was the concept of having everything at your fingertips -- shopping, movies, music, theater, sports and everything else. I couldn't wait to be somewhere that would allow me to ditch my car -- a place where everything I could possibly need was all around me. But believe it or not, I found most of those elements of what I thought was city life right here.

First of all, just about everywhere you could possibly need to go is within walking distance, along with just about everything you could possibly need in general. I love being able to run out of my apartment building and over a few blocks to pick up that one ingredient I need to make dinner, or to take a walk down the street so I can satisfy my shopping habit. Don't think you'll be lost without a car. I have one here now, but it sits in its parking spot most of the time.

Also, believe it or not (because I know I didn't when I first got here), this is a culturally rich area. The university setting draws national tours of shows, musicians and other popular acts. The Bryce Jordan Center and the Crowbar are great venues for music, which is one of my passions, and I've found State College draws a lot of big acts along with some great indie and up-and-coming artists. Like I said, it's all at your fingertips; it's just up to you to take advantage of it.

And finally, the best thing about your new home? It offers all of the great stuff I just mentioned in a place surrounded by state parks, forests, mountains, lakes and trails. As soon as you start venturing a few blocks past campus and downtown, you'll find out there's every opportunity to enjoy your surroundings by hiking, biking or just relaxing.

So now, as my first summer at Penn State comes to a close, I can't help but think back on how things have changed. When I first got here -- probably for the first semester, at least -- I couldn't imagine ever wanting to spend any more time here than necessary. Now, as a gap between the move-out and move-in dates on my leases forces me to return home for two weeks, all I can say is that it'll be nice to see my family and friends.

But thankfully, it's only two weeks.

Because after two years, I think I've finally reached the point where Penn State is home.