Every high school student’s senior year is filled with letters of recommendation, applications and interviews. I was not the only one in my class looking to “leave the nest,” the out-of-state option, in theory, is usually very popular. Students want an opportunity to live farther away from home and experience life outside of their hometown.
I thought of myself as a trailblazer, someone unafraid to live so far away from my family and everything I knew. And while I expected difficult circumstances to arise from my decision, I did not know to what extent being an “out-of-stater” would affect me. At the time, it seemed so glamorous and exciting. Here are a few things, good and bad, I wish I was told before I made the decision to go to a college 1,600 miles away from home.
1. Culture shock
The United States is so large and contains so many different cultures that sometimes it can feel like you are in a different country. Especially if you are a North-South transfer, cultural differences smack you right over the head. It can be fun to compare differences in words such as “sprinkle” and “jimmy,” but when you have this conversation a million times during orientation week, being the “out-of-stater” loses its luster.
2. Everything will be harder
Want to go home for a weekend? Probably not going to happen. Miss your mom’s cooking? Wait for the next break. Everything from finding a new local doctor to discovering a new favorite food chain is harder for an out-of-state student. Even the simplest complications such as weather, like trading your tank tops for a winter coat, can be a huge challenge.
3. Losing friendships and time with family
Living far from home seems like an adventure-- and and it is! But existing in a completely new environment away from the people in your life creates an inevitable distance. Everyone knows that only a select few high school friendships last through college, but when you choose an out-of-state school, the chances of holding onto your high school relationships are even smaller. You may have to take a backseat while your friend group plans a weekend reunion.
4. Funds
Not including out-of-state tuition, being an out-of-state student can be more expensive. Airfare and bus tickets cost a pretty penny, especially while trying to get home for the holidays. Also, college helps you create a network, and when those connections land you a summer job so far away from home, free room and board at your parents’ house is no longer available.
5. Post-graduate struggles
In the same vein of summer internships, job positioning after graduation is also something I did not think about as a senior in high school. Because college naturally creates connections and opportunities, your professional network will develop outside of your hometown. This puts you in a sticky situation when choosing a professional career. Do you move back home where you have little to no contacts, or do you stay farther away in your newfound network?
This list is not meant to scare high school seniors looking to go out of state for college. Moving away from home and sharing a completely new culture has been one of the best experiences of my life. But these are things I wish I were told before I agreed to be an out-of-state student.
