Moving to a new city doesn't change who you are. In today's society. There is this idea that change is the equivalent of a reset button. For example: upset about your breakup? Get a new haircut! New hair means a newer, better you. Feeling disconnected from your life? Get a lower back tattoo! You won't even recognize your new self. These are just a few examples of the semi-drastic changes that we make. We make these changes with the assumption that we will feel like a different person. A new haircut might boost your confidence, but it doesn't affect your fundamentals: values and personality.

For me, I thought that moving to a new city would change my entire life, including who I am. As a senior in high school, I had the burning desire to be someone else. Get a fresh start. Be a better person. Sitting at a computer in my small New York town, I felt like I could be whoever I wanted to be. I automatically chose Florida as the venue for my new start, and when I came across USF in my Google search, I knew where I wanted to be.

Moving to Florida was one of the driving factors that motivated me to finish high school (okay that might be an over exaggeration, but you get the point). I had this vision of who I would become in my new city. I was going to be more confident, friendlier, and super out-spoken. But these are all personality traits. You can't change your fundamentals, but that's what makes you so amazing.

Moving across the country didn't change who I am (shocker).

I can say that I am very happy in my new home, however, it's not thanks to changing who I am. I am happy here BECAUSE I am me. I made new friends because I showed some strangers an authentic version of myself. I let my personality shine, and didn't let my anxiety hold me back.

So what's the point? Why am I crushing all possibilities of creating a new life for optimistic high schooler students?

WHERE you are, doesn't (and shouldn't) change WHO you are.

The point is, creating change in your life should be because you love who you are, not because you hate yourself. The truth is, changing your area code doesn't change your life. You change your life. If you be yourself, your authentic, goofy, lovable self, you will be happy. But if you move with the fantasy of being a different person, you will be miserable.

So what's the take away here?

Stop blaming your unhappiness on your location. Moving across the world won't change who you are or how you feel. Relocate because you want to give yourself exciting new opportunities. Cut your hair because you WANT too, not because you think you need to. Get a tattoo that means the world to you, not a spontaneous Twitter quote. Think before you make changes in your life because most of the time, change starts with you, not where you are.