It was my junior year in high school, and I was starting to look at colleges to attend after graduation. I had a few in mind that were in Texas, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to keep looking. That’s when a new school popped up in my search results. It had everything that I was looking for in a school. It was a small campus, tuition was affordable, it was located in a small town and had a football team (a fantastic one at that). The only difference? It was in a whole other state — Arkansas and four hours from home to be exact. Once I learned that I could get in-state tuition because I was a bordering state, I really started considering it. Roughly four years later, here I am in my junior year at that exact school and loving it! Moving to a different state may not seem like a plausible idea, but it’s so worth it.
1. You’ll most definitely get a fresh start.
Since you’re out of state, there’s a very slim chance that anyone knows where your high school or even your hometown is located. College is all about finding out who you are and starting new. The best way to do this, for me, was going to a new state and several hours from home! None of your old classmates will be at your college, so parts of your past can stay hidden for as long as you like. The students here don’t know who you were in high school, so now you can be whoever you choose!
2. You have to become more responsible.
You’re no longer in the same state as your parents, and you may not have the option to just drive back home at your own free will. This factor will force you to be responsible for everything in your life, including waking up in time for class, going to class, studying, etc. You will always have to make sure you have everything you need before you leave home after visiting for a weekend, because you are probably not able to take a quick trip back in one day to grab it. Becoming more responsible at the ripe age of 18 will help you later in life; you will already be used to not relying on your parents all of the time.
3. Being introduced to a different state’s way of life.
It may seem like that every state in the United States is the same. Well, that is completely and totally wrong. Each state has their own way of eating or cooking foods, which sports teams they watch the most, how they drive, etc. They even might have their own slang. For example, in Texas almost everyone says y’all, but not as many people say it in Arkansas. Another thing that might be different is the weather. It might be colder in the winter than you're used to, or it might be hotter in the spring. These are things you won’t experience or even realize until you actually live there for awhile.
4. You may just fall in love with a new state.
Your whole life may have been spent in one state while taking the occasional vacation to different ones. When you take the chance and live in another state, you might just completely fall in love with it. It gives you a chance to explore outside of your home state and see if you do want to live somewhere new. You can easily fall in love with a new place, but still find out you want to make a life in your home state. No matter what, your home state will always hold a special place in your heart. I must add one thing, Texas forever. I do still love you though, Arkansas.
While it might seem like the craziest idea to move so far away from your home and your high school friends, I highly encourage trying it out if you’re up for the challenge. It will help give you a whole new perspective on life and give you the chance to recreate yourself. It will always be normal to feel homesick at times, but it’ll always pass. Moving out of state at the young age of 18 may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was right for me and I haven't regretted it since!
