Every teenager dreams of the day they can leave the house to be on their own, to not be a child anymore. I moved away 4 months ago to my new home in Statesboro, and my life has been changed ever since. Before college, I had never lived anywhere outside the Augusta area. I went from sharing a bedroom with my little sister to my 11’-2” – 9’-4” dorm room. There have been ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my new life.
One thing that college has taught me: friends are some of the best family someone can have. One of my biggest fears of leaving home was the idea of being alone. However, I was very lucky to have many of my high school friends to come to the same college as me. Much like how I used to have dinner with my family every night, I now eat dinner and sometimes lunch with my group of friends. The first couple of months we all came out a couple nights a week to play volleyball. This lead to us all making a volleyball team, which was probably the most fun I’ve had all semester. They are my family, my team, and my friends.
“Freshman Fifteen”. The dreaded weight gain most college students hope to avoid when they’re attached to a dining plan. The Georgia Southern dining plan has been one of my biggest adjustments to college. I don’t have my parents to pick out my food and making sure I’m eating right anymore. The important thing is to stay active. I generally try to bike or walk across campus to my classes to fight this gain. I also live on the 3rd floor in a hall without an elevator. I’ve gained a little weight, but I hardly call it the freshman fifteen just yet.
Life outside of class is way different versus my hometown and high school. College football games are definitely a lot different than the ones I used to go to. In high school, I was on the color-guard team for my high school. I constantly miss the stand cheers and performing with my teammates, but I’ve moved on. While their winning records are similar, the atmospheres are on different sides of the spectrum. In comparison, college games are louder, crazier, and sometimes even more obnoxious. There are no administrators that sit quietly waiting for the slightest curse word or derogatory comment that they hear. The student section is quadruple the size and way more diverse than I would have thought about. The student stands are loud, exciting, and just an overall different atmosphere that I have ever been exposed to.
When I tell people I go to Georgia Southern University, they automatically associate it with being a “party school”. While I do see where they come from, I try to stay away from that type of living. I never really get joy out of the idea of getting drunk, because I see the after effects. I hear Greek Row from my window; I hear the cheers and music all through the nights on most weekends. I hear people drunkenly yell walking through the dorm complex at 3 am. I’ve been invited to parties and hang outs where I know there will be alcohol. That life just really isn’t for me, just as a preference.
Probably one of the hardest things about moving away is the living arrangements. It’s hard to come home after a long day of class to a dark, empty room. I miss my siblings/step-siblings that I would drive around and help with homework. I miss my pets that would greet me when I came home. I miss having parents that would give me advice and cook me meals, and to just be parents. But they’re always a phone call away or a drive away.
Sometimes I take the time to think about how different I’ve changed over the last couple months since I moved in. Of course I have those times when I’d just rather go home to get away from some things, but I think most college students feel that way sometimes. As I go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’ll take the time to appreciate the people that have helped me through this time and will help me through the future.
