Spring semester is rapidly approaching, which means that I am heading into my last semester of junior year.

It's crazy to think that I'm in the second half of my college career and am rapidly nearing the end. Because I know that I'll soon be graduating, I've started to reflect on my time in college. One thing that I thought about is my decision to go out-of-state, to experience something new. At this point in my time at college, as I am reaching the finish line, I can say that going out-of-state is the best decision I made.

From the beginning of my college search, I highly considered looking at places out-of-state. Even though my home state had plenty of colleges and universities, a couple even a short drive from my home, I didn't feel the desire to stay in-state. I felt as though I knew what it had to offer me, and the thought of not experiencing anything that different than what I was used to didn't appeal to me. College is the time to explore, try new things, go on adventures; I felt going to an in-state college wouldn't give me that.

I ended up applying to all out-of-state schools, ultimately choosing one about three hours from my home. While this isn't the biggest distance in the world, it was still something new. I knew virtually nothing about the area I was going to school at and didn't know many people going there, either. It was a new experience, and I have no regrets about it at all.

Going out-of-state forced me outside of my comfort zone. I had to interact with people I didn't know, learn the ropes of a new place, and be a considerable distance away from my home. I was on my own; no easy weekend trips home for me. The adjustment to a new place wasn't hard at all, and I ended up falling in love with where I am. While every college isn't perfect, I knew that I was at the best college for me; choosing to go somewhere different was the right choice.

Sometimes, choosing a college means leaving the familiar behind. But if you are up for the adventure and want to experience something new, it's worth the risk.