On June 5, 2018, I’ll graduate high school, and on August 30, 2018, I’ll move to Long Island, New York, from my suburb in Pennsylvania to pursue my journalism career.

As senior finals and graduation near, a common discussion my friends and I have is the fact that there are some people that we’ll be graduating with who we’ll never see again.

My very first crush from the first grade? I’ll probably never see them again.

The girl I stood next to for three years in middle school choir? The chances of her and I meeting and catching up over college breaks are very slim.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mourning this.

I’m so excited to move to New York and start living my life outside of the town I’ve known for 18 years. Maybe a little too excited – I do feel guilty sometimes.

The truth is, I couldn’t be more excited to leave.

I have a countdown to move-in day on my phone, and I’ve been planning out my dorm for about three months now.

While in college, I plan to study abroad, and since I’ll be living so close to NYC, I’m going to take advantage of the internships and programs that will be available to me in my new home.

Almost every day my mom asks me if I’m really positive that I want to move so far away from home, and almost every day I tell her that I’ve never been more positive about anything in my life.

Of course, I’m nervous about moving so far away from home – who wouldn’t be? It’s the first time in my life that I’ll really have to be an adult, and I won’t have the comfort of my own room to come back to every night.

For the first time in my life, I won't be able to come home after a bad day and cuddle with my cat.

However, this is a necessary change.

Here’s my logic: I have the ability to go anywhere for college. I’m guaranteed housing for four years at the school I’ll be attending, and I love to learn.

If I move there and realize I hate it, I can always come home and go somewhere else.

The idea of missing an opportunity to live in one of the most amazing cities in the world and experience change like this is crazy to me. The chance is there, and I’m going to take it.

I’ve never understood people who are completely comfortable where they are. For me, discomfort with my situation has always driven me to be better than I was yesterday.

I’ve lived in this town for 18 years and gone to school with the same people since I was a toddler. My life isn’t going to end because I decided to spend a few years away to experience what else is out there.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll miss my little town. But not enough to stay here forever.