Starting college is an adventure in itself. It's about having four (or more) years of trying to figure out what you want to do, meeting new people, and creating memories - good and bad. Going to school in a different city can be enough of a challenge, but what if you're going to school in another state?
In honor of this year's high school graduating class of 2015, here are four things you will learn going into an out-of-state college
1. New Lingo
New state, new lingo! Going to college in a different state presents itself with many changes, one of them being as simple as what certain words mean. Some examples of this are the words soda, lollipop, and vacuum cleaner. To the typical east coast resident, a Coke is a soda, pretty much any candy on a plastic stick is a lollipop and that machine that cleans your rugs is a vacuum cleaner. However, to the typical midwestern citizen, A Coke is pop, lollipops are the plastic sticks with the large, multicolored circle while everything else is a sucker, and a vacuum cleaner can be referred to as a hoover or sweeper. While this may not be one of the more significant things you'll learn, it is still something you will face that may confuse you at first. Just roll with it, laugh about the confusion and be open to learning more about your new state.
2. Weather
Seeing how you have decided to go to school in another state, you may already be anticipating the weather change. Whether you're going from the South to the North, the West Coast to the East Coast, or even the state next door, nothing can prepare you for the weather better than actually experiencing it. The second best thing to do is to research, research, research. Prior to living in Florida, I used to live in New Jersey. When I moved to go to school in Ohio, I knew that it that unlike Florida, I would experience all four seasons. I also thought that since I lived in New Jersey for the first 16 years of my life, that the weather would be no big deal. I was dead wrong. First, I didn't bring enough summer clothes for August through September because I expected it to be like fall already (Cleveland in the summer is excruciatingly hot). Then, when the cold actually hit, I didn't have enough sweaters or winter shoes to get me through the literal 'cold days' and 'lake effect snow' and had to buy more. Save yourself the trouble and research the weather year round for your new state.
3. The Importance of Your Family
Like many others, I am a very family orientated person. I love spending time with my family and I did not realize how much I would miss them until they were no longer within reach. This feeling of homesickness mainly affects those of us in schools in different states (or countries) since the only time we really get to see our families is during school breaks. You may start feeling homesick or lonely when you see your friends' parents and families visiting them every now and then, or when it's parent's weekend. However, worry not. Over time, the feeling goes away and it actually builds into anticipation for when you finally get to see them. Getting involved with your campus and making friends can help ease the feeling. Also, try calling your family at least once a week to tell them how school is going and within no time at all, you'll be feeling fine again.
4. How To Be More Independent
College is the time when most of us are all by ourselves for the first time. For many, it's the first time they've done their own laundry or gotten their own food. For others, it's the first time they actually need to get their own supplies or navigate themselves around a city alone. Being an out-of-state student, you soon learn how to depend on yourself to do what needs to be done. Soon, things that your parents would have gotten for you or done for you, need to be done by you. While this also does apply to students in-state, what separates this from them is that if an out-of-state student gets sick, more than likely, their parents cannot hop on a plane and come rushing to their aid. Situations like this force out-of-state students to grow up a little faster and learn how to take care of themselves. While this can seem scary at first, within no time at all, you will be navigating yourself around and also maturing a little more into an adult.
Whether you are switching coasts or going to school in the state next door, these are some things that will happen. No matter how unprepared you may feel, don't worry. You can do it. That anxious feeling you have will soon be a memory and you'll feel great once you've started taking care of yourself and being the college student you envisioned.
So, to the 2019 Senior class: enjoy the rest of your summer, enjoy orientation, and good luck!
