Sometimes moving away to college can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Now that the school year is coming to an end, a lot of young people will be leaving home for the first time. From my experience as a freshman in college, living on a campus over 200 miles from my hometown, it’s kind of a blessing.
Moving away from home for the first time is usually accompanied by living by yourself for the first time as well. Of course, now you have to take yourself grocery shopping and schedule your own appointments, but there’s a source of freedom that will help you realize what it’s really like to be an adult. It’s the little things that are the hardest to notice at first until you see your absence record for that eight am class. Not to mention you have to clean your own kitchen and bathroom.
Other than that, living by yourself can be fun. You decide when you want to go to sleep, and you can take as long as you want in the shower. There is a positive side of grocery shopping too. You can eat as healthy, or as unhealthy as you want to. You also don’t have to ask to go out or worry about curfew, if you had one.
Learning time management is extremely important, especially if you like to procrastinate. Luckily most universities allow you to schedule your own classes so that you can pick out the times that are best for you. If you are involved in any extracurriculars, balancing out school work from other school-related events is a big deal as well if you still want to keep a social life. It’s all about priorities.
It’s also important that you don’t forget about yourself. Every once in while you just need a bubble bath, maybe some shopping therapy, or even just a nap. Classes and deadlines can be very stressful so spending time with your friends is a must. Try to at least, spend one day a week with some friends, even if it’s a quick lunch in between classes. I personally recommend a game night or movie night, and don’t forget a sweet treat!
I can not stress enough how important it is to take the roommate survey, so you don’t end up with someone you can’t stand. You should also pray that the housing office doesn’t mess up your application, which is what happened to me— twice. Going to the same university with a friend and getting a dorm together might be something to think about, but if your situation was like mine, you might not have that luxury.
If being away from your friends back home is something you are worried about, just try your best to keep in touch. Try to plan a weekend to hang out and catch up on things. Go somewhere that y’all used to enjoy before the move, or invite them to visit you at college and explore the new city. Introducing them to your new friends will make your circle mean a little bit more to you too.
Moving away can be troublesome at first, but try to think about the positives. This is your chance to prove that you are responsible and ready for the “real world.” College is not as hard as you think, as long as you keep up with your classes and surround yourself people who really care about your well being. Don’t think that you can’t have any fun though. This is an important time to find who you are and enjoy yourself while doing it.
