At some point or another, college becomes a factor in every person’s life. It can be deciding whether or not to go to college, what college to attend, how many years to attend, and deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life. Big decisions are being made and one of them is whether or not to move away for college.
My opinions may be different from others, but I am all about moving away for college. I’m not dissing on hometown colleges, however, I believe that one doesn’t get the full college experience when they stay in their hometown. It’s that time in your life to take the next step, become your own person, and learn how to “adult.”
Its hard to imagine what the future will be like without your childhood friends and your family by your side in everything you do. But moving away is just a part of growing up. Of course there are going to be many times where you miss having your parents right there when you need them. I experienced this whenever my car broke down on the interstate and I was living four hours away from my parents. And there were also many times I was sick laying in my dorm with either a killer fever or a killer hangover, wishing I had my mom to take care of me. These experiences caused me to figure out what to do all on my own, and for that I am much more mature than what I use to be. There comes a point in life where you can’t rely on mom and dad to take care of you in every situation, and that is just a part of growing up.
There’s no harm in trying something new. Living on campus, taking part in the dorm life, and making all new friends are a part of the college experience. You get the chance to start over from anything that may have been holding you back in your hometown. When moving to a college where you don’t know a single student, making friends may seem impossible. And let me tell you, in the beginning it is difficult and awkward. But coming out of my freshmen year, the friends that I made quickly became family to me. It’s all about finding the people who share the same interests as you, as well as getting to know the one’s who are different that may help you discover another side of yourself. When you put a group of late teens and early twenty year-olds together to live on their own, you find ways to work together and help each other through different struggles.
This is the chapter of your life that is all about making new friends, discovering new places, and finding yourself. You can’t do these if you continue to stay in the comforts of your parent’s homes and your childhood friends.
