I was not ready to leave the nest after high school.
When I was younger, I would have fits of separation anxiety when I was away from home. I would even lie that I was not feeling well in order to escape and slip underneath my own bed covers. Sure, the twists in my gut from being out of the house have faded away as I have gotten older, but I was worried about tripping the wire and setting off the panic attack alarm if I went straight to a university.
So, after I graduated high school, I went to a community college; CSM, the College of Southern Maryland. I was a General Studies major because I wanted to rake the general education credits before I hopped out of the nest like a bird. Funny enough, the hawk was the CSM mascot. Anyway, there I bumped into numerous peers from high school who were homebodies as well. I also made numerous new friends, mostly through my participation in the school's theater.
I have loved theater all of my life, and after an Intro to Theater class that first fall semester and auditioning for a few shows, I set up camp there and was a hermit of the stage for two years before my departure.
Alright, so I warmed up my wings and was ready for my plummet—I mean my flight. I applied to Frostburg State University because of a few things; it’s cheap, I love the mountains and my Dad went there as well. I think I inherited the knack for not being phased by freezing temperatures from him. I was accepted.
August 29 hit and I was bound for the mountains. After being in the Honda for three and a half hours I had reached my destination. All around me there were students of all years hiking to their dorms. Hills of cardboard boxes rose up from people's arms, elevators were clogged with excited families asking questions. Gradually, my parents and I had made it to room 619, my nest for my first year at Frostburg State.
This room held much for me that I had no idea would happen. This was where I was going to walk in to see my Big leave clues of her identity. Where my roommate and I would host "American Horror Story Nights" and gasp during a new episode of Hotel (Lady Gaga owned it) with sisters. Where I would be home.
With the summer closing in, ending my first year at Frostburg, I’m glad that I took the leap. Sure, there were moments when homesickness crept up on me, but over time, I found the cure. As cheesy as that sounds. I became part of a family, landed an internship and was even able to track down my final exam sites and just come into my own here.
I found a letter from my mom shortly after we had gotten me moved in, while I was unpacking my things.
"You are going to do great things, K. I am so proud of you," Mom’s letter had read. I called her when I was done reading her farewell message as they drove off, headed back to the home base.
