All throughout high school, I was known as the quiet and shy girl who would hide in the back of the class. I did my best to stay out of my classmates' way, hoping that they would do the same to me. My friends, teachers, and anyone who knew me for that matter, always figured that I would stay close to home and hide in my comfort zone when I graduated. When it was announced at graduation that I would be attending college nine hours from home, my parents and myself were swarmed with all kinds of questions. So fellow readers and college seekers; here are my reasons for choosing an out-of-state college:
1. "A Whole New World."
Have you ever wanted to live on the coast? How about in the bustling city of New York? Maybe you prefer a place snuggled in the wilderness? The beauty of choosing a college is that you are given endless opportunities about where you will spend the next chapter of your life. There's another world apart from where you've spent the last eighteen years, and college is a golden opportunity to start pursuing that world. Your opportunities are endless; you just have to put yourself out there!
2. Becoming Your New Person
Don't get me wrong, I loved my high school. I spent most of my hours either at the football games or participating in my own sporting events. Despite my introvert personality, I was always finding something to do to support my classmates and peers. However, if I said I was always my individual person and not following the crowd, I would be lying. One of the top reasons I chose to leave my home state, was simply the fact that I wanted to be away from everyone I knew to be familiar. Now I am sure you are wondering "why on earth would anybody want to leave everything?" There are so many things you gain when you separate yourself from the crowd. I currently go college and live in a town that nobody from home could tell you about. For all I know, most of my classmates probably think I reside in Canada.
Nobody knows me here, nor does anybody know my classmates. With that being said, my story is unwritten here. There is a blank slate that I can create anything on and do anything with.
3. New Town, New Home
One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to drive around and get myself hopelessly lost. With home being nine hours away, I have no idea where I am at any given time when I venture off of campus. There are endless amounts of new landmarks, buildings, shops, dining places, events, and road systems to explore in my new home. All are so unfamiliar to me, but they are all intriguing and different. If I would have never left the cornfields of Iowa, I would have deprived myself of endless new experiences in this beautiful area of Fargo-Moorhead.
Moving away from your family and home town can be scary. It takes a huge step, and endless support from friends and family to help you with the transition. I can guarantee that by taking the leap, you will find new people, places, to help you begin decorating your new slate!
