Coming to College Park has been an awesome experience for me, and I have started feeling like I fit in on campus and I'm finding my place. What has been hard for me, and I'm sure a lot of other college students, is being so far from home. Homesickness is a common thing for college students, and I know that sometimes it's okay to feel sad about it. I know a lot of people who are from Maryland and have the luxury of going home on the weekend to see their family, or if they aren't feeling well. Since I live 7 hours away (8 or 9 depending on traffic in New York City), I don't have this luxury, and I sometimes find myself missing home a lot.

Although College Park has quickly become my second home, and I have adjusted well, I was thinking about how I chose to go to school so far away from home. What exactly did I want? Looking back, I know that I wanted college to be a totally different experience from high school. I wanted to meet new people, try new things, learn, and experience a different environment from that in which I had lived my entire life. The UMDCP campus is actually 4 times the size of the small town in Massachusetts that I grew up in.

What I miss the most about home is definitely being with my family. I have two younger sisters, who are two and four years younger than me. I also have a little brother who is eight years younger than me. We are all very close and being apart from them hasn't been the easiest thing to do. Missing out on seeing the cheer competitions, gymnastics meets, basketball games, and lacrosse tournaments is something I thought I would never miss. The calls to my parents are daily, often more than once, just to ask them what's new and to tell them I love them.

To high school seniors looking to go to school far away from home, make this last year count with your friends, but most importantly with your family. Your life changes drastically- but in the best way possible. College is giving me opportunities and experiences I couldn't have had if I had stayed closer to home. If I were to give you one last piece of advice, it would be to cherish time with your family and once you get to school, make sure you call your mom and dad (because odds are they miss you just as much).