When I decided to move 400 miles away from home for college, a lot of people questioned if that was the right decision. Even I questioned myself. But after being in college, I realized I did make the decision that was best for me to grow as a person. There are, of course, downsides to being so far away from my family, but those have helped, too.

Pro: I was a homebody all throughout high school. I did not start going out to be with friends until junior year and even then, the farthest away I went was 30 minutes away. Now, I get stir crazy if I am in my dorm room for more than an hour. My friends and I hang out every single day and the most I am on Netflix is for a movie night or while cleaning my room. I know who I am and if I had gone to school close to home, I would go visit my parents every weekend and never would have branched out of my comfort zone.

Con: The few times I have gotten sick in college have felt like I was dying. Maybe it was me finding a reason to skip astronomy, but I did sleep for nearly a week last year. The downside to being far away is that my mom cannot drive up and take care of me. Well, if she really wanted to, that six-hour drive would be totally worth the visit, but I do not want to make her do that. While I was probably dying of the plague, the only thing I wanted was for my mom to come up and watch Nicholas Sparks movies with me.

Pro: I was one of the quietest people in class and a lot of times people would forget I was there until I had to answer a question. I knew everyone in my classes and if I could start a conversation with them or not. Coming to a college where I knew absolutely no one, I started to get better at talking to the strangers next to me in a lecture. One of my best friends was one of those people. Now, I feel comfortable making funny comments to the cute boy in line at Chipotle or throwing in my opinion in English class. I might never have done that at a college where half my high school class went to.

Con: I have the worst luck with boys and have accepted the fact that I will end up alone with ten dogs. But when I have an exciting encounter with a cute guy or my heart gets broken, the only thing I want to do is call my parents and discuss. While cell phones are a very useful thing, it is not the same to be on speaker phone to talk about how my love life could be a sitcom on ABC Family. Sometimes just seeing facial reactions or getting a bear hug from my dad is all I need to know that my family loves me and everything will be OK. And while it is still weird, I have to say getting boy advice from my dad is something I love very much.

Pro: I have made the best friends I could ever have imagined in college. From our Quidditch family to my fellow actors in LFC to my squad in my dorm and finally to all of my amazing sisters in AOII, I do not want to think about how different my life would be if I had chosen anywhere else. Ohio University is truly the right place for me and I thank God every day for it. Everyone is right when they say “Bobcat Family,” because that is the only thing I can describe these people who have come into my life. I know exactly who to call when I need a movie and ice cream night, or want to go to a basketball game or get coffee.

Con: My brother and my dog. I miss my brother, because sometimes there is no one who knows me as well as he does. He knows the right things to say when I need a pick me up or someone to tell it to me straight. He holds nothing back, which sometimes can be bad but for the most part it is a good thing and I appreciate it so much. And for my dog, I just miss cuddling with her and having her lick my face in the morning. Honestly, there is nothing better than having a dog next to you when you are stressing over the ten tests you have coming up.

Pro: I have tried so many new things in college because I do not have the safety of home to hide behind. I have gained self-confidence from being in college from the new experiences I have had and the friends I made. After being in elementary school where you are with the same 56 kids from first grade to eighth grade, you know everything about each other and know exactly what to say to hurt each other. A lot of those kids went to my high school and would have ended up in college together too. Being far away gives you a new slate and the opportunity to find yourself again. I decided to try out for Quidditch, which I had never tried before and ended up loving it. I participated in Athens Bare on the Bricks, which I would never have had the self-confidence to do back home. I visited friends in Cleveland, which is three hours away from Athens. Previously I would never have driven that far by myself no matter how much I love them. I try new foods all the time and make a new friend every day. My college experience gets better every semester and is going better than I ever could have imagined.

No matter how much I love my family and North Carolina, I think I made the best choice for me in deciding to go to a school seven hours away from home. It has made me grow as a person and gain the confidence I needed to break out of my shy shell. For anyone who is trying to make a college choice right now, do not be afraid to go somewhere new, because it could end up being the best place for you. Do not convince yourself to choose a different school because the one you love is too far away. It is not. Choose the place you think will make you a better person.