College. It's the one thing that every high school senior looks forward to for an entire year. From the minute they started filling out that lengthy college application, they were ready to kiss high school goodbye and start their new life. I was that high schooler. I was ready to make new friends, live on my own, and most importantly, NO CURFEW. I spent all summer working and saving (and spending) money for cute dorm decorations, I was so ready for August 16th to come that I didn't have the time to think about how hard it was going to be to leave my family.
Move in day came and that morning, I was so excited. The entire four hour drive to school all I could think about was all the people I was about to meet and how many friends I was going to make. The four hours flew by and before I knew it, we were on campus and the anxiety finally set in. I set up my dorm room with my mom and grandma and a few hours later they left me. I sobbed and begged my mom to come back and get me. I was not mentally prepared to be on my own in a strange place with no one I knew.
Weeks went by and I got very involved in organizations on campus, including Greek Life. I became more comfortable here and found my group of friends but still, all of these distractions weren't enough. I still missed home, miserably. Classes started becoming harder, I started struggling more and more to the point where all I wanted to do was drop out. Being homesick became a daily thing until I realized it's only going to get worse if I keep going home.
A few more weeks went by and I started to not even recognize myself anymore. It got to the point where I didn't like who I was becoming at all and I struggled a lot trying to find my identity again. My friends helped me through and eventually I started making some changes and now I'm slowly becoming the person I know I want to be.
Moving away to college was the hardest thing I have ever been through. I have been a lost puppy for the past almost four months but it has only built me up. I am so happy with where I am in life and can not wait to see where else life takes me. Even though these past few months have been extremely difficult, I have made it through.
My advice to seniors in high school getting ready to embark on their new journey is start mentally preparing to be away from your friends and family. Go out and adventure as much as you can before you leave and learn to go days away from home. Maybe go on a week long camping trip with some friends to start to get a feel of what it is like to be on your own and also just to have a last minute "get away" with some of your closest friends.
College may seem scary, but it is so worth the homesickness, anxiety, and tears. You'll make some of the best friends here and you'll never regret leaving home to better yourself.
