Even when I was a little girl, I had always wanted to go away to school. That meant going out of state for college. Being from New Jersey, I wanted to go to a surrounding state. That meant New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

I ended up in Delaware. It is close enough that I can get home if I need to, but far enough away that I do have that college experience. Going out of state was an amazing decision for me, but it isn't for everyone. Here is what going out of state for college has taught me.

1. Don't worry about what people think of you

I come from a town where a lot of people go to the state school or ivy league schools. I was the only person to come to Delaware from my graduating class. This has allowed me to be my own person and not be followed by stereotypes that had been attached to my name in high school. This has allowed me to let go of what people think of me and focus on what I think of myself. Most likely, someone that sees you fall will never see you again, so there is no need to worry about it. The only person's opinion that matters are your own and it took me going out of state to college for me to realize that. I needed to let go of what people thought of me and it has made me a better person.

2. You will find where you belong

In high school, I have always bounced around from friend groups to other friend groups and I never really found where I belonged. I never had that group of stable friends that I could always count on. I always only had one or two friends from various friend groups that I could rely on. Coming to college has taught me that I will find my people and my place where I belong. I am current pledging Alpha Epsilon Phi, and I have found my place in my pledge class and in this sorority. I have my stable friend group who I can always count on to pick me up when I am down. College has shown me that no matter what, you will always find where you belong.

3. Stop saying sorry for things you have no control over

This has taken me so long to finally realize and carry out. I needed to stop saying sorry for things I had no control over. I would always apologize profusely for canceling on dinner plans because I was sick or not being able to go out with someone because I had other plans or I wasn't feeling well. I finally realized that I had no control over these things and I needed to stop apologizing for them. Once I stopped apologizing for things I had no control over, my anxiety decreased and I feel better about myself.

4. It's okay to say no

This is another thing I needed to work on once I went to college. I needed to start saying no more. It sounds weird, but it definitely has helped my stressed and anxiety. If I was too stressed and someone asked me to go to dinner, saying no was usually hard for me. I would always agree and then my stress levels and anxiety would increase. Once I started saying no, my stress level went down and my anxiety has stopped taking over. I always believed that people would not understand, but they do. Saying no is healthy and you do not always have to agree with or to everything.

5. You do not need to explain yourself to others

I used to explain my opinions to people and I would always feel the need to explain myself. Coming to college has taught me that my opinions matter, no matter if they are unpopular or if you are the only person that thinks that. You do not need to explain yourself to others and your opinions so matter.

6. Your mental health matters

This has taken me a really long time to come to terms with. I neglect my mental health so much and it gets to the point where I am sitting in bed sobbing because I have let everything build up. Pledging a sorority especially has made me realize that sometimes I need to take a step back and take some time to myself and focus on me and my mental health. This is usually so hard for me because I put everyone above myself. I don't want anyone to worry about me so I push my problems down and make sure everyone else is okay before I make sure I am okay. I only learned this very recently but it is so important. Your mental health matters and you matter. Take time to take care of yourself and your mental health.