I had a great childhood, but at some point during my teen years my social life declined because of circumstances at home. You would think otherwise, since I grew up in one of the most famous cities in the world. But during my time as a young teen, I had other things going on at home. My mother was sick for several years and that definitely impacted my view of my home: the city, my house, the streets. All of it stopped feeling right in tenth grade when things really started going downhill.

We all have our reasons why we push things away. It could be a person, or in this case, a place. When I reflected about where I was in life, (at the time high school), I didn't really like it. I started to associate the place I grew up as something negative.

One of the things I must say, is that a location is just a location. New York City is my home, yes, and I love that I am from here. I love that I get to say that I grew up here, and I pride myself with the knowledge that I am more cultured than many because of NYC. But it also became something negative at one point. At this point in my life, I had tried everything to solve my problems. That's when I decided that I needed a change.

My grades were not great. I was never a school person. I was distracted, and going through a lot at home. This is initially what probed the question in my mind: "Do I just need a change in scenery?"

Some people go away because they can afford to. Some people go away because they're set on a college that just so happens to be very far from home. But most of the time, it's because they need to live alone for a while.

Let's fast forward.

I was accepted to Keystone College. Just as you were, dearest reader, I'm sure you were accepted somewhere very far from home. Keystone is 30 minutes from Scranton and just so happens to be in the middle of nowhere.

When I moved away to college, I packed everything I had and moved into a tiny dorm room down the hall from two of my now-best friends. Little did I know, upstairs would be my best friend, Jake, and also my boyfriend who was rooming with Jake. I also met my future roommate/friend who lived in the dorm next to me and we ultimately became so close. In other words, it worked out perfectly.

I did not have an ideal school experience growing up. I struggled socially, I had had a hard time making friends, and I never felt like I really fit in. I was also a victim of bullying throughout different grades and schools. But my main point is that I met some of the best people because I went to this small school far away! If I hadn't ever made the decision to go to a small, familial school like mine, I never would have met my future bridesmaids, my boyfriend and my best friend.

I grew up around concrete and buildings. Just a big pile of lights and cement, really. Going away to Pennsylvania is such a great change from the city. If you go to school even in upstate NY, it feels like you're in the narrow streets of Belgium, sometimes. That's the beauty of the scenery of this country. You can go anywhere and feel like you're somewhere else.

When I moved away, I also discovered what environment suited me best. I was in a totally new environment, which gave me the chance to be the person I always wanted to be. I could start new academically, professionally, and personally.

All in all, changing scenery is sometimes all you need to revamp your lifestyle.

As a student at a small school, and far from home, I was secluded and could make my own choices. Being away from home for this long makes you realize, no one is around to tell you what to do and that's already a lot of pressure. It makes you realize who you truly are as a student and how hard it is to time manage correctly.

But it also makes you realize: "Freedom. I can go out when I want. I can hang out with who I want. There's no holding me back. This is where my wings can spread."

It is truly a blessing and a curse to move away, but mostly a blessing.

You can finally look in the mirror without anyones critique because college campuses are bigger. You can meet people who are just like you. You eventually meet your life long friends there. Shoutout to Alyssa, Meg, Bella, Nate, Vika and my angel Jake.

When the going got tough you guys were seriously always there to remind me home is really only 2 hours away.

You're gonna miss home made meals though, and showering with no shoes on.

Going away is sometimes really difficult for some people, but if you're the type who's just been waiting to dive and fly, and then moving away to college is your best bet. You will find your true self when you're alone in the woods of PA, or studying in your room, talking to new people, and building the path to success when you're on your own.