By the time my sophomore year of high school came around I had already decided what field of work I wanted to work in throughout my future. This led me to the decision of the medical field because of the fact that I’m not the type of person that can sit at a desk or be inside all day and the medical field was one of few ways that interested me in which I could avoid doing these things. This was the first thing that made me decide to enroll into college after high school since a very large majority of medical careers require a college degree. I came to the conclusion by the beginning of my junior year that I wanted to study in order to become an athletic trainer. Chattanooga State happened to have a program that I could begin studying for this major before transferring to a University in order to complete the degree necessary for me to fulfill my future career plans. I finally made this decision because my entire life has revolved around sports due to the fact that I became a multi-sport athlete at the very young age of seven years old. 


On the topic of being an athlete, that resulted in the second reason I decided to go to college. I had been offered a scholarship by the volleyball coach at Chattanooga State Community College. Since volleyball had always been my main sport throughout my athletic career, I happily signed my life away to her for the two years I would be able to attend Chatt State. This provided me with an opportunity I wasn’t sure I was going to have access to having after I graduated high school: being able to continue doing my favorite thing in the entire world. Volleyball has been a part of my life for close to twelve years now and it’s my way of escaping from reality and everything going on in my life. When I’m feeling stressed, upset, or mad, I’m able to just leave all of my emotions at home while practicing or playing and it’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had the ability to experience. I am in love with the fact that I’m able to use my passion in order to relieve things that are tough in my life and I’m honored that I was provided with the ability to continue doing so after my high school seasons ceased. 


The final factor that contributed to my decision to attend college was the provision of the Tennessee Promise scholarship to all high school graduates in the state of Tennessee with grades meeting at least their required minimum. Thanks to this scholarship in combination with the scholarship provided to me by the volleyball program, I am able to go to Chatt State one hundred percent free of ant fees including getting money back from these scholarships that do not get used for my education or any of the things needed for my classes such as books. Every semester I am blessed to receive a check from the school as a “refund” from the money I have earned and did not have to use. This played a very big part in making the decision of which college I would attend, especially since I could possibly have to go for six years in order to obtain the degree I wish to have. Being able to attend a school close to home, study for my degree of choice while getting paid to do so, and do the thing I love most in life - playing volleyball - was the best decision I had ever made.