Pour yourself a glass.

As a girl from a town where everyone knows everyone because our parents all went to high school together, it can be quite suffocating. I couldn't go anywhere in our town without my parents or I knowing AT LEAST one person. This town consisted of moms gossiping like they're still in high school, dads always going to the local bars to try and stay young, and us, their children. We had to live through the high school stories. Thankfully, my mom was from a completely different state. I knew from a very young age I was going to do everything in my power to make sure I would never had to come back to this town after college. So, when it came time for me to decide on colleges, it was a no brainer I was going out of state. Not only was I going out of state, but I was going 8 hours away. I ended up at the beautiful Furman University.

Go ahead and refill, cause why not?

When I look at snap stories from the kids I went to high school with, I just see them still with the same group of friends. When I hear about the drama that goes on, it's still the same high school drama. I always think to myself, how do they do it? How do they remain content with not going out and exploring the world. I just want to send a PSA to them: WE ARE IN COLLEGE, GO MEET OTHER HUMANS. I just don't understand why they don't get out and meet others. I went to a school where at football tailgates you dress up, and you are always polite because it's the southern way. It gave me a new outlook on not only the way I was living but the way others from my town lived as well.

CHEERS

To those who left for college, I applaud you. When I say left for college I didn't mean drive a distance to where you can go home every weekend. I mean you left. You were able to surround yourself with people you never even heard of before. As I am a junior I have realized the best thing I ever did for myself was leave. I learned so much about myself and have grown as a person without the influence of my town. I was able to start over.

I always wanted to be 'the cool girl' in high school. Those same 'cool girls' now are 'nobodies'.

Just remember if you stay, look at the parents you grew up around: that'll be you.

If you leave, you can become whatever type of person you want to be and meet people you would never have met back at home.

So, Cheers to those kids who got out.