Senior year is already stressful and hard without someone asking you every 10 seconds where you're going to college and what you're majoring in. When I was a senior I was going to pick a university based off of where my friends were going, after realizing that was dumb and that I needed to do something for myself I picked an out-of-state college to attend. It was the best and most amazing thing I could have ever done.
1. Meeting new people.
Going to school out-of-state makes you branch out and meet new people. I can't imagine my life without these people I've met.
2. Living in and exploring a new place.
For someone who has lived in the same state their whole life, going to college out-of-state was different for me. I'm so thankful for it too. In my adult years I don't plan on living in Arkansas, so going out-of-state for college helped with transitioning and moving on. Also, just exploring new places you maybe would never have learned of.
3. Doing something different.
I live in a city where over 80 percent of the people that go to college all go to the same school. It's just a known thing, everyone goes to U of A and majority of them stick with the same groups and cliques from high school. Almost all of my school went there. If you were not going to an Ivy it was kind of questioned why you weren't staying in-state.
4. Learning about yourself.
Going away to college and being on my own and independent helped me learn a lot about myself. How to be on my own; I learned what I like and don't like. My political views, what I'm interested in - everything. How to think independently. I credit this with not being that close to home and going to a place where you don't know anyone, so no one was pressuring me to think this way or that way.
5. Appreciating your home state.
I was never the biggest supporter of my state mainly because I've lived here my whole life. It all gets old. I learned I had to leave my home state to fall in love with it and appreciate it.
6. A new start.
College is a new chapter in our lives, why not have a new start? If I had followed the crowd I would of gone to 13th grade. A new start wouldn't of worked with that. It's nice to go to a new place where you can be whatever you want.
7. Friends.
Going out-of-state for college tested my relationship with friends from high school that went to other schools. It strengthened our friendships and made coming home on breaks much more sweeter because we get to see each other! College friends are awesome, but they'll never replace your high school friends.
For someone who is going back-and-forth on if they should stay in-state or branch out and go out-of-state I hope this helps! Picking a college is a big decision. You should pick one that fits you and that has everything you want in a college.