One of my favorite quotes is by Andrew Zimmern (host of "Bizarre Foods"):

"Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in."

This was my logic when I decided to leave my cozy suburb of Saint Louis, Missouri and go out of state for college. Now, I understand, a lot of people leave their home state for college, but where I am from it is not that common. But, I knew I would not be happy staying in Missouri so I applied to schools all over the country and ended up here, at the University of Florida.

I am not writing this to tell my life story. I am writing this to tell people that it is OK to leave your comfort zone and experience the world for what it really is. I knew I was only seeing such a tiny part of this country, and world, in my hometown. To me, the ultimate trip I could ever take is spending four years in another state.

It does get hard, sometimes, do not get me wrong. I miss all my friends and family back home, but I have met so many amazing people since I have come to school that I would have never even knew existed if I stayed close to home. Many of my friends from high school all go to the same colleges and have classes together and are in the same sororities and fraternities. But, I never had the desire to walk around a campus and see the same faces I saw everyday since kindergarten. I encourage anyone, even if you do go to college close to home, branch out. You will meet so many people that will change your perspective on life, that you will learn from, and that will help you grow.

I am finishing up my first semester, and I could not be more happy with the decision I made to attend a school that is 923 miles from my home. Some days I am homesick and wish I could just drive over to my best friend's house, but now I have new friends whom I know are also always there for me. Moving has made me grow up and experience more than I could have ever imagined and I am forever grateful for this opportunity. I hope future college students make the decision to also leave home and experience college somewhere completely new.