Making the transition from high school to college is never an easy process. New friends. A new town. A new kind of education. But an entirely new part of the country? You have to be a little bit crazy to want to take on that challenge as well. If you had asked me four years ago if I thought I would be attending college 2,000 miles from home, my answer would have been simple: absolutely not. However, now that I'm almost finished with my freshman year, I have to say that I wouldn't give up this experience for anything in the world.

To say that life in East Central Texas is different from life in small-town Massachusetts would be the understatement of the week. Surrounded by new foods, new people, and an entirely new climate, I find myself learning something new every single day (aside from what my professors teach in class).

I’ve learned that not everyone on the planet has experienced the greatness that is sweet tea. Or Tex-Mex. Or kolaches. There’s nothing quite like a cool glass of sweet tea made with just the right amount of sugar. And my appreciation for Tex-Mex has certainly grown in the past months. When I mentioned that I was craving some queso, I received several blank stares followed by the question that sent a dagger right through my chest: “What is queso?” Having grown up in a town with endless opportunities for queso, I couldn’t quite fathom the notion of living in a world without it. Though the lack of queso blew me away, there’s one food that I simply cannot live without. If you’ve ever stopped at The Czech Stop on I-35, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. I love kolaches. They’re the most marvelous little Czech pastry that has ever existed. I guess I’d never realized that they didn’t really exist outside of these small Texas towns.

I’ve learned that the phrases “yes, ma’am” and “yes, sir” aren’t all that common above the Mason-Dixon Line. If you’re from the South, I’m sure you can understand my need to use these phrases. They’re a sign of respect for your elders, and you use them as such. Several older people with whom I have used “ma’am” and “sir” have actually taken offense, accusing me of calling them old. I was shocked! These words are only a sign of respect, not an insinuation that you should be preparing for your move to Florida.

I’ve learned that not everyone has an appreciation of country music quite like I do. When I spoke of George Strait, no one in the room was familiar with any of his masterpieces, let alone that he’s widely regarded as the King of Country Music. A little piece of me died that day. But this only made my love of country music grow even stronger, and I now rarely listen to anything but Toby, Garth, George, or Merle.

I’ve learned that snow is actually real and does, in fact, fall from the sky. Quite frequently, I might add.

I’ve learned that Northerners aren’t mean at all. I think there’s a bit of a stigma in Texas that people from New England are rude and unfriendly. They (we) call New Englanders “Yankees,” and before I came to school, people would tell me that I would hate living in the north with all of the rude Yanks. However, I’ve encountered nothing but amazing individuals who love meeting new people and making them feel welcome in their new surroundings. To anyone who thinks New Englanders are awful, you are mistaken. They are a great group of people from whom I have learned so much.

I’ve (finally!) learned how to use public transportation. They really believe in that up here. You can get practically anywhere via some sort of bus, train, or shuttle. It’s pretty neat.

I’ve learned that New England Pride is certainly alive and well. I would advise against speaking (or thinking) anything negative about the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, or Bruins. It’s almost like they can sense the negative energy.

I’ve learned that people really do think that the stereotypes about Texans are true. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve had to tell people that I do not, in fact, live on a farm or ride horses to and from school on a daily basis. Or the number of times that people have laughed when I’ve said “y’all” or “fixin’ to” (*sigh*).

But most importantly, I’ve learned that there is so much more to the world than what you can find in Texas. Sure, I love seeing a field of Bluebonnets in the spring and watching football for hours on end in the fall, but the world is full of so many amazing people and places and things to learn and experience. Yes, I came to college to get an education, but I am learning so much more from simply living in a new place with new people and new opportunities. I’ve crossed paths with so many extraordinary people from so many walks of life, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world (no matter how many kolaches you offered me).