College is a season of life you'll never forget, whether it be for good or bad. So much is happening, and so many new things are taking place. For many, it is the first time when they are away from home for an extended period of time. Some find that exciting, while others find it frightening and saddening. I love my hometown and I love my family, but I was never one of those freshmen who get homesick. I often shed a few tears on my way back to school, but once I got there I was fine and happy. I was enjoying this new adventure that I was on, taking in all that I could at one time. Looking back, here's what I think made that transition a lot easier.
1. A Busy Lifestyle
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I had always had a rather busy life as a teenager, and college was definitely no exception. I was in the marching band and also had a class schedule. Honestly, I didn't have much time to miss being anywhere. Being in the band was good for meeting people and just kept me busy.
2. Wonderful Friends
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Whenever I got to college, I knew I wanted to make some good friends. Between the Marching Thunder and Cru, I was very blessed to meet so many people, many of which I am still in contact with today. I definitely believe it when they say you meet your lifelong friends in college.
3. Football Games
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I was in the marching band my first semester and ended up staying for three more years. As mentioned previously, it definitely kept me busy. It was so exciting and fun to be playing at college football games and representing my university at multiple exhibition performances. My parents have always had season tickets, so I got to see them, along with some other family, at home games. That was nice and helpful.
4. So Much Exploring!
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While Huntington is not a big city to a lot of people, I was from a small town. I had been to Huntington quite a few times growing up, but there was still so much to explore and see for myself! Over the course of 4 years, I was able to discover a lot of Huntington and the Tri-State Area's "hidden treasures." Huntington does have a lot of problems, but there is also a lot of good happening and an abundance of wonderful people.
5. Homework
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I take school seriously, and I learned very quickly that I usually got more studying done when I was at school.
6. Miss Independent
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I enjoyed having a sense of independence. It made me feel so much more like an adult. Making decisions for myself and on my own was initially a little intimidating but a lot of excitement was there as well.
7. A Closer Walk with God
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Being on my own allowed me an opportunity to make my faith my own. I believe that I had made it my own several years ago, but I finally had a chance to apply a lot of it outside of my hometown. God was so real to me that first semester, with so many answered prayers and unexpected blessings that He provided without me even realizing I needed that. I wouldn't change that for anything personally.
8. It Was Time To Move On
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I was never one of those people that hated their hometown. However, I could tell that it was time for me to move on to a new chapter in a new place. It was definitely scary, but it's a journey that now looking back, I am so glad I took. I'm thankful for everything that has happened, both good and bad, because each moment and event had a part in my story.
Overall, I guess you could say I fell in love with this new chapter and was trying to figure everything out in it. It is important to do that because so much learning takes place during that first time away from home. If I could do my first semester of college over again, I definitely would. Back before things got more complicated and when every day was simply a new adventure.