On May 14, 2016, I graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Psychology. This was a big deal to me. Graduating from college meant I had accomplished a goal I had set for myself back in my freshman year of high school. I would hold my diploma in my hand and be thankful that I’d stuck it out even when at times I wanted to quit. However, while graduation played a huge part of my Saturday, it was only the beginning of my long, eventful day.

After graduation I went back to my small apartment. I looked around at the totes filled and labeled with an assortment of junk, clothes, cookware and pretty much anything you can think of. It was time to move on. Time to move away from the small town of Farmington where I’d grown so comfortable over the past four years to a new, exciting city. It was time to give up the comfort of living with one of my closest friends and to start a new life. May 14, 2016, was the day I packed up four different cars and moved to the town of Scarborough to live with my boyfriend.

Living in this new place is still hard for me. I don’t know how to get anywhere without my GPS. I don’t know my neighbors. I don’t have that many friends that I can go to when I need help finding things. My boyfriend has lived in this area for much of his life. The adjustment seemed easier for him. He has a job, he has friends, he has a family only a few miles away. Even my cats have adjusted at this point.

Moving to a new place is harder than some people realize. I love living with my boyfriend. It’s amazing to be able to see him every day instead of only a couple days a week. But it’s hard to be so far away from where I’m so comfortable. I don’t know where any of the fast food restaurants are (you know, in case I’m craving a cheeseburger). I have no idea how to get to Wal*mart which is sad because I know exactly where it is, I just can’t connect points A and B. My family is an hour and a half away. I can’t find the laundry in my apartment building. And having to send a change of address to every person who has your address is a real pain.

Moving is rewarding, though. It brought me closer to my boyfriend. It allowed me to find a job I will enjoy going to every day. It made me realize that I definitely want to live in a small town when I can buy a house one day. It taught me to always drive in the left lane on route 1 because if you don’t you’ll never get to Hannaford. It gave me the opportunity to live within minutes of the coast while also being minutes away from the city.

May 14, 2016 will forever be one of the biggest, longest days of my life.