Growing up in a small town in New England is certainly no walk in the park. It is 18 years of the same roads, faces, and buildings. Nothing changes, ever. So for people with my particular personality, I found the first out possible, college.
When I was deciding to apply to college location was a huge factor as to where I would want to go. I made an agreement with my mom that I would apply to at least two local schools in return for me applying to literally just about every southern school possible.
I toured beautiful schools along the New England borders but nothing felt special. No campus I walked on gave me the feeling that I would have a promising future there. The day I stepped foot on my campus 1,200 miles away from home, I got the feeling that this is where I belonged. People thought I was crazy and making a huge mistake leaving home, well joke's on them.
So here I am currently enduring my sophomore year and I could never thank my eighteen-year-old self enough for choosing the perfect school for me. Going so far away from home forced me to mature and grow up a lot faster than normal. I do not have mom or dad to run home to every weekend or visit me when I need a lunch date. I made my own friends all by myself, joined a sorority, and was opened up to so many opportunities. It is incredible how much I have accomplished thanks to the leap of faith I took two years ago.
I go home to New England during break and I have begun to realize that going far away taught m what I truly want in my life. I did not have the peer pressure of family or friends from back home, I completely created my own new life in a completely new region. And for that, I am so proud of myself. I have never felt happier. I have never felt more pleased with the people I currently have in my life and I honestly do not know where I would be without them
Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I had decided to go to school in New England and I truly think I would have been trapped and unhappy. I had an urge to travel and go somewhere unfamiliar. Going far away has now paved a road for my future and I am confident no matter where I end up in life, I will be able to make a life for myself with the experience I have gained from living far away from home. If I had stayed closer to home then I never would have had the courage to ever leave because I would have felt too safe in one place. I am so glad I did not do that to myself.
So if you are currently deciding where to go to college, challenge yourself. Even if you hate it at least you can say you tried!