Like many a recent high school graduate, any conversation I have with a distant acquaintance or family member is likely to venture into my plans for next year. I'm always happy to talk about my college choice, but since most people in Northeast Ohio have never heard of Fordham University, I tend to have to elaborate on where exactly it is that I'm going, geographically speaking.

The reactions I get to my college plans are myriad and entertaining. They vary based largely on the age of whomever I'm speaking to and their relationship to me, and they span from nosiness to happiness to downright bewilderment.

The first and most common reaction is what I have coined "the eyebrow raise." This goes one of two ways; If I'm having the college conversation by myself with an adult and I mention the city, the only noticeable sign that they find the news surprising is that their eyebrows shoot straight up. The conversation then proceeds as usual. However, if I'm with my mother and speaking to any woman over the age of thirty, the reaction gets much more entertaining. Not only do I get the raised eyebrows, but they'll whip around to face my mother with a face that conveys equal parts pity and shock. My mom always laughs and assures them that she's not worried, which I don't know if I believe, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

The other two reactions I get from older people are much less subtle. A lot of people, mostly elderly people, are confused as to why I'd want to go to New York in the first place. On some level, I understand that. These people have typically lived in or around Cleveland for their entire lives and can't imagine leaving the city they love. Sometimes their confusion stems from stereotypes about New York, other times about how big of a jump it is for me.

On the other hand are the people who are WAY too invested in my financial situation. Now, I get it. College is expensive and New York is expensive, so combining the two is a bold choice. But these people seem to consider it their personal moral duty to inform me that the cost of living in the city is high, as if I had committed to living there for four years without being aware of that very basic fact.

The only good thing about this reaction is that it's the perfect opportunity to throw in a scholarship brag while simultaneously vindicating myself. For the most part, though, it's just annoying.

My peers tend to react differently. I've noticed classmates I haven't talked to in years or were never really friends with in the first place asking if they can stay with me if they're ever in town. The answer is a resounding "no," but it is kind of funny to have my dorm room become the hottest ticket in town for no apparent reason.

In all sincerity, though, I have been so lucky to have a group of close friends and family who have been genuinely thrilled for me and supportive of this opportunity. I know I'll miss them every day while I'm at school, but I am so excited and ready to start this new chapter in my life.