In August 2000, I walked onto the campus of Illinois State University（ISU）as a simple, quiet girl from a small rural town. There were more freshmen here than the  __  36__   of my entire hometown. Standing by myself, I was all of a sudden   __ 37 __  by strangers from various backgrounds. I was  __ 38__ with this place and, for the first time in my life, I felt   __ 39__

       Over time, I realized that everyone around__ 40__   the same. The strangers soon became friends, and the campus turned into one where I found  __  41__   . __  42__  I knew it, ISU became my second home away from my hometown.

         __ 43__  the four years, I learned a lot I had not learnt in my hometown. I realized that you could not __44 __  late on Thursday night and still pass your Friday exam, and that pizza three times a day will gain 15 pounds for a freshman. I also  __ 45__  who I was as a person and found the best second __46__ in the friends.

       The bittersweet day came when I had to__ 47__ the college chapter of my life. I thought I would __48__  , but I didn’t . I knew I would have my college years, my friends and__ 49__  with me forever. I even had a sense of __ 50 __  that my four years of difficult classes finally paid off.

       However,  __ 51 __  hit the day after graduation. For three months I was __  52__   ,not to mention I had loans to repay and no__ 53__   .

       This January, I received an offer from a school three hours away from home. I will move on, with the__54 __  I had on that first day of college, to the place where I again will call home. But I believe I will__55 __  it!