Moving away from home is hard. You have to leave behind family and friends, the familiar roads and landmarks of the neighborhood, and essentially everything you have grown to love within the last 18 years. You might be that person who is just ready to leave, ready to reinvent yourself. It doesn’t matter if you hated everything about home, it is still just as hard.
To some, moving away from home may just be a few hours drive away. To others, like me, it takes a bit longer to drive home... 34 hours nonstop to be exact. I might only be half way across the country, but I might as well be in a different world. Coming from the Pacific Northwest to the Wack was definitely a topographical shock to say the least. Where did all the mountains go? And the big, luscious green Evergreens? Why is there literally no elevation here? What happened to being surrounded by sparkling bodies of water? Whatever they think is hiking down here in Texas is definitely not hiking! A 10 feet increase in elevation just doesn’t do it.
What’s even harder than leaving the breathtaking views of Washington is leaving family and friends. I think having to leave the people who raised you and supported you to get you to where you are now is the hardest thing about going to college out of state. I miss having my parents there to remind me to do the little things. It’s weird being away from family, because although part of me misses being home and being around my parents and my brother, another part of me kind of likes getting the chance to do some “adulting.”
As for friends, I don’t think it has fully registered in my mind that I'm thousands of miles away from them, whether it be that they are still in Washington or at another out of state university. It’s weird that I can’t just drive over to their houses to hang out or just spontaneously decide to go to some overpriced aesthetic cafe just for the pictures. High school really helped me understand who my friends were that I could rely on for literally anything, and it’s crazy how we’re all over the country now. The saying is very cliche, but it’s true. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
I MISS YOU, FRIENDS!!
After being at Baylor for about two weeks now, I can confidently say that although I do miss everyone at home and that I'm definitely annoyed that I have to use google maps to navigate whenever I step out of my room, I truly love it here! Everyone is so polite and courteous to each other and there really is a sense of community on campus. My CL and the girls on my hall are all so nice and I think the best thing that has happened to me so far is my roommate and suitemates!! We all clicked pretty much instantly and these friendships definitely feel a lot more at home in this giant school. Having to adjust to such a different environment was a little tough at first, but I’m ready to take on my next chapter in life. Sic 'em Bears!
