This past summer before leaving for college I became plagued with this extreme fear of change. After spending years of high school hating those hallways and obnoxious purple lockers, I found myself longing for the simple days where adult wasn't tacked on the end of young, and all my friends were within the same city, heck I’d take the same state. When consulting some friends about this fear I realized that I was at a distinct disadvantage. What could this almighty Achilles Heel be that made me not relatable to many? I was going far out of state.

Now don’t get me wrong, college is a Fear Factor episode no matter where you go. When choosing to go somewhere far enough away that you know your parents won’t make it for Parent’s Weekend, or you’ll have to adjust to a whole new weather climate, it’ll make you clutch that baby blanket with the animals on it (mine had sheep on it if you were curious) and blast High School Musical 3. I knew I would no longer have the option of driving back for that one awesome concert one weekend that all my high school friends bought tickets for, and I almost wasn't able to go home for Thanksgiving because of the cost of travel. These things many of my friends didn't really get, not to say they weren't supportive, but they were already planning rushing Greek life together at their schools, and which frats have the best tailgates on game days.

Now before this turns into an awkward woe is me story because that is far from my intention, let me give you some insight on why all of this has made me a better person. No longer do I feel like a dependent on anyone, but know I have the confidence and drive to get things done by myself. This new found independence and boldness from putting myself out there to meet new people has been really motivating. I made my new state a home and found my own little ways to shine and come into my own. Going out of state allowed me to learn about different cultures, try new foods (though I wouldn't always try them again), go to a honky-tonk for the first time, explore a new city and have new experiences, discover I actually have a bit of an accent, plan future road trips to all of my new friend’s homes, and all around learn how to stand on my own as a young adult.

So cheers to you freshmen that blasted HSM3 this past summer in anticipation for all those frequent flyer miles that have been slowly racking up, and cheers to the future of creating a home away from home at your super mega awesome school.