I grew up in a small town just south of Buffalo, NY. I am the youngest of four girls, and all of my sisters have moved away from home and eventually came back. I needed a change, I needed to become my own person. I thought, what better way than to go to graduate school? And where did I choose? Washington State University—couldn’t get much farther away than across the freaking country.

So I got ready – found an apartment, saved up for the deposit, packed up the car, and headed out west. It was my third cross-country trip, so I was prepared for the long haul. What I wasn’t prepared for was that I was leaving EVERYTHING behind.

I had just gotten a kitten a year prior and couldn’t take her with me, I didn’t have friends out here, the closest family I had was nearly seven hours away. It was a HUGE deal. I’d never lived farther than three hours from my parents, I’d always been able to go home on the weekends to see them. They could always come up and bring goodies from home. But that was now out the window, I was now on my own. Like I said, HUGE DEAL.

If you’re thinking about moving far away for graduate school, take into account some of the tips below:

1. It is ok to be nervous

Being nervous is normal, it’s actually healthy to be a little nervous. It makes you more prepared. However, DO NOT FREAK OUT. I traveled 35 hours, from New York to Washington. As soon as we hit Chicago, I knew it was real. I was actually doing this—I was picking up basically my entire like and moving across the freaking country.

All I could think about was what was going to happen. What if I didn’t make friends? What if I flunked out? What if I absolutely hated everything about it and wanted to go home every weekend?

Here’s the problem: worrying about all that stuff isn’t going to fix anything! As J.K. Rowling said, “My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice.” Just take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the change.

2. Have a good road trip buddy

Bring someone along with you for the trip, it’ll keep you company and you’ll be able to take breaks while driving. My dad was gracious enough to make the 35-hour trip with me, and THANK GOD for that. He knew which roads to take, he was able to drive for 28.5 hours straight (impressive and HIGHLY do not recommend doing that many hours in one leg of the trip), and he reminded me that I was making a great decision. Make sure to travel with someone that will keep you calm and entertain you throughout the trip.

3. Road trip music

SPOTIFY, PANDORA, SIRIUS XM. Whatever your music choice is, get it on lockdown and head on out. Make sure it’s music that will keep you awake for long drives though, you don’t want any music that will make you drift off while at the wheel. I know some people that listen to podcasts when they drive. I don’t know how they do it, but to each their own I suppose. I’m partial to some musicals or 1990s or early 2000s music. I like to dance in my seat and sing my heart out when driving. Whatever makes your heart and mouth sing, get it in the car and get to rocking out.

4. Have a good support system

This is pretty self-explanatory. Make sure to surround yourself with people who think you’re making the right decision. Don’t let unsupportive people make you change your mind.

5. Pack ahead and pack the essentials

Don’t pack all of your clothes for a lot of reasons. You won’t have enough room for all of your clothes, so only pack the ones you know you’ll like to wear and will wear a lot. Plus, you’ll need clothes back home for Christmas Break and other times you want to visit home.

6. ROAD TRIP SNACKS

Avoid snacks that have too much salt. Salt makes you thirsty, thirsty means you’ll have to pee. You don’t want to have to stop to pee every few miles because you wanted to eat three bags of pretzels. Eat snacks that are high in protein like PayDays, granola bars, and fruit. Apples are a good fruit to eat because they are delicious and they actually can help wake you up if you’re feeling a bit drowsy. Bananas are good too because they’ll help alleviate cramps. Whatever your taste buds want, get it in the car and pack a lot of it! No road trip is manageable without some snacks!

Remember, moving across the country is a big deal, and it is okay to be nervous. Just don’t freak out. Keep calm, make the move, and kick ass!