It's back to school season. For some of us, that means that its time to start college. I have about 2 weeks left before I move in, and I don't know how to feel about it. Yeah I'm excited, but I am also terrified because starting college means moving away from friends and family. I have friends going to college all over the country, so that means that I won't be able to see them that often.
There is a lot to be excited about when starting college. Moving away from parents means no one is around telling you when you need to be home, what to do, what to hear, or how to act. Theoretically, you could stay up as late as you want, study whenever you want, and do whatever you want. It's a whole new lifestyle living with a roommate and being out on your own. There are a ton of exciting student-led things all over campus to get involved in and plenty of time to get out on your own and explore what you are into.
On the other hand, there is the scarier, less-exciting side of things. No parents telling you when to be home and what to do means that there is more responsibility on you to hold yourself accountable for your actions. You don't have to study, so long as you don't count on any scholarships you will be fine. Living with a roommate means you have to hold yourself to a different standard of living than you are used to at home. Maybe at home you're fine with leaving your dirty clothes in the middle of the floor, but in college with a roommate, that's a habit that you have to break.
Not being around your friends might be the hardest part, at least for me. Some of these people, you have grown up with and spent the last 13 years of your life in school with them and now you don't have to see them ever again. Maybe you have a best friend that is going to a different college or maybe even a significant other that is going across the country. That change is hard. It's not going to be easy at first, but friendships and relationships that are meant to last will last. Just because they are going to a different college doesn't mean that you will never see them again.
So wherever you stand on how you feel about going to college, one thing is for sure: college is going to be an adventure. It will have its ups and downs. Not everything will be great. There will be fun moments, scary moments, and all the moments in between. Whatever life throws at you during this season, embrace it. Whether it's good or bad, take that moment, and use it to grow and change. College could be the best years of our lives.
