Starting university or moving in general can be a stressful, exciting, nerve-wracking, melancholy, and insanely happy time. After 18 years of homebound chains, you are finally free. Leaving may be a little trickier than you initially thought, so here are some tips to help with the emotional and physical movement toward university-years.
1. Spend time with your family.
This may seem very obvious, but when it comes down to Friday night activities I bet you’re normally tempted to zone out in front of Netflix solo than to jump head-first into a family board game. Trust me, you’ll miss those moments.
2. Savor your mother's cooking.
Or your father’s. Or your own, for that matter. Once you leave, cooking turns into a whole new story (especially if you live somewhere without a kitchen). You will crave nutritious well-balanced meals.
3. Write sealed letters to your friends for them to open at certain times.
Thanksgiving. Christmas. A broken heart. A new job. Pick the impending circumstance and write your heart out. You will have that inevitable moment where the world crashes down at two in the morning and you are left searching for a shoulder to cry on. You’ll have plenty of new friends to turn to, but sometimes it’s comforting to hear the much-needed reassurance of a friend that knows your soul inside out almost as effortlessly as they know what kind of socks you wear. (*Side note* If you don’t know your best friend’s take on socks, this is a characteristic worth noting.)
4. Drive around your hometown for one last adventure.
This sounds really cheesy, but there are bound to be spots you haven’t found yet. Try your hand at night-time exploration or maybe actually go kayaking like you’ve been saying you want to try all summer. You may come back home for summers, but the possibility of internships or jobs makes commitment hard. Embrace your heaven or hell-hole, whichever most reflects your mindset.
5. Record your height on the wall one last time.
As you develop and grow while living on your own, the inches will be a physical reminder of how much you may change or else they will be a comforting constant of how much stayed the same between visits. Even if you do not grow (sorry girls you’re probably stuck) it will be one last piece of childhood to leave etched into your home.
6. Take one last group photo of all the people you love.
Family. Friends. Pets. It’s really nice to have one or two pictures to gaze at when you’re 1,000 miles away and a cuddle-puddle with all your loved ones seems incredibly heart-warming. (This probably happened more for me living in a foreign country 8 months than it will for you at university, but hey maybe you’ll have your sappy moments –which are a-okay!)
7. HAVE AN END OF THE SUMMER PARTY.
Host it. Last year, before I moved to Ecuador all of my friends created a giant slip-n-slide out of tarps, sand-bags, and glow sticks. We also had a huge real-life Slenderman game in the woods complete with notes and classical music in our ears. Walking around the woods trying to evade Slendie while finding notes was much creepier than you'd initially think when your senses are dulled by Bach and darkness. Get creative and make it memorable.
8. Tie up all your loose ends.
Is your debit card expiring while you’ll be out of state? Will you have to renew your license? Think of possible snags in the road and be sure to complete all the needed in-person paperwork possible.
9. Say goodbye.
To the old you. To your comfort zone. To your insecurities. To your family. To personal space.
10. Say hello.
To new experiences. To fresh starts. To new goals. To new people. New loves. (New languages?) Get comfortable with ambiguities, whether that ambiguity is how you’ll earn a new job or balance social lives, assignments, or work. The future is uncertain but that gives you more room to forge your own path as you fail, succeed, and enjoy your independence. You may feel ready than ever to leave home, or you may be facing hesitations. Either way, you’re ready!
Buena suerte.
