Moving across the country is one of the most exciting and nerve-racking changes in your life. You cannot wait for the independence and the new adventures that await you. What you don't realize is that you'll learn so much more than you think.
1. You won't have the correct clothing.
No matter how much you pack, you still are not prepared. Different climate, possibly an entirely different environment, odds are you'll have to take a trip to the mall.
2. Yep, you have an accent.
You may not believe it, but you actually have an accent. The amount of times I was told I have a California accent was astounding.
3. You'll learn new lingo.
Words like "brick" and "mad" and "dead-ass" have definitely more than one meaning.
4. Google Maps will be your best friend.
Figuring out public transportation in a new place was a piece of cake with Google Maps telling me exactly where to go.
5. You'll over pack.
Trust me, taking six suitcases and fifteen pairs of shoes to college is not needed.
6. You'll get homesick.
It's inevitable that you'll miss your friends and family (and even the food) from your home state.
7. You will learn who your real friends are.
Being across the country, you will begin to distance yourself from your friends from home, but you'll also learn who your true friends are, and you will stay close with those friends despite the distance.
8. "Where are you from?" is a very difficult question.
Most of us don't live in big well-known cities, so this question is the worst when people have no idea where you live. Try sticking to popular cities or landmarks near you.
9. Food can be very different from your home state.
For example, Mexican food is 20x better in California than New York. "Boba" as us Californians know it, is called Bubble Tea in other states (it's strange...).
10. Home is where the heart is.
Your home is wherever you feel the most comfortable. You may have lived in your home state all your life but if you love the new state you're in, that could be your home.
