Going away to college was the best decision I've ever made. To all of the seniors in high school about to graduate, and the high schoolers who still have a couple years left, it's OK to leave.
I went away to college because I wanted to get out of my small town where everybody knew everybody, and there wasn't much but corn fields. I've lived in my home town for nine years, but it never truly felt like home. The people that I went to school with had known each other since preschool. Most people who never get the chance to leave are often trapped there, staying there and building a family until they die. I didn't want to be stuck like so many others and my town had nothing to offer me.
I would also say to leave right away. Don't wait to transfer after two years, make a move now. Why stick around? You have so much more than your old teams, old high school acquaintances, and old home. I promise, nothing will change when you leave.
I went away to college so I could meet new people and explore new things that I couldn't do in the same old town, with the same old people. Although I'm still surrounded by corn fields and still stuck in Illinois (because in-state tuition is hella cheaper), the atmosphere is refreshing. This is my home, now. A six-hour car ride may not seem like a big difference, but college is a whole other world that you can't experience at your local community college. You get to experience the sports teams in stadiums you've never seen before. You get to participate in the school traditions, like flipping a car on Unoffical Halloween, and joining together with thousands of other students just to celebrate your school. One of the best parts about college is the amount of free food and stuff. Universities and big colleges give away so much free stuff that you're missing out on being stuck at your community college.
You don't have to play it safe. Do what you want to do. Of course, you're going to miss your friends and family, but the experiences you have and the people you meet are something you can't truly do if you don't leave. You can live in a dorm for the first time, get your own apartment or house with roommates, get your own pet, have your own responsibilities. If you're someone who depends on their mom or dad, take a risk. I promise, you can do it without them.
Go ahead and live across the state, or even the country -- heck, go across the world if you can. Meet new people, meet the love of your life, and most importantly, discover who you are.
