Choosing to go to a school in another state is a pretty big step. It’s like you are packing up your entire life and moving it to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, just hoping for the best. For some, a culture shock may be experienced, the world may seem like a bigger place, and you may stand out, but none of these outcomes are bad at all. Reasons for leaving home vary, and many grow nervous for this change, worry about becoming homesick, and fear they will not be able to make friends. However, each out of state student will come to realize that there are many perks to this too:
You will have a stronger appreciation for your real home.
Being away from home for a majority of the year really makes you realize how much of it you took for granted. You cannot get some of the same experiences that you do at home in the current state you are in for school. Coming back during breaks makes you want to get up early and watch every sunrise, never turn down an opportunity to go out and adventure, eat at your favorite cafes and restaurants, and soak up all the goodness that home has to offer. When you were in high school, doing all of those things typically weren’t on the top of your bucket list, but now it is because your time there is very limited. Image courtesy of Pinterest
You will have a stronger appreciation for your family.
It is a big change from seeing your family everyday to not at all. Sure, they annoy you, have rules you must follow, and invade your privacy. What would a family be if they didn’t do all of that? You have the opportunity to go away for school because of your parents and if not now, there will come a time where you truly realize and appreciate everything they have done for your benefit. As finals grow near and the brunt of school takes on, you have to admit that you miss your family, even if it’s just a tiny amount. After all, it was easier when they cooked your meals and did your laundry for you, right?
You will build lifelong friendships and relationships.
A new school means new classmates, roommates, and professors. No big deal. College is different from high school though. Say goodbye to close knit cliques and feeling like you have run out of people to meet. There are so many other students who are in the same boat as you hoping to start fresh and find like-minded friends. Here, you will have another four years (or more) to develop all sorts of meaningful friendships and relationships with others. You won’t have to feel confined to just a small group of people because there will be a sea of interesting people to meet. You may even be lucky and your friends will take you in to their families during long weekends and Thanksgiving break! Image courtesy of the University of Oxford
You will develop as a person.
Going away for college isn’t all just fun and games. There are crucial responsibilities included along with the freedom we all appreciate. We no longer have parents there to make our food, remind us to finish our homework, clean the dishes, tidy our room, and wash our laundry. That is all up to us. Being held accountable for these aspects of our lives teaches us valuable lessons such as time management, being financially fiscal, and making smart decisions. In other words, it teaches us Adulting 101.
You will obtain more opportunities for your future.
No matter where you are or where you go, there will be many opportunities for you to partake in. Big or small, each will serve as a stepping stone toward any goals you have or toward your future in general. Being in a different place may introduce you to new interests you never pictured to have and one thing can lead to another and who knows where you will end up. There is a lot out there that you are not used to, and sometimes it is for the better.
The last three perks are not only directed toward out of state students. They are for any student out there. College is a new chunk of our lives, one where a lot of people fully discover themselves and figure out what they want to do for the years to come. Developing as a person is all about growing up, something that every living person experiences. Also, like I said, opportunity is everywhere so even if you decide to stay in your home state for college, you will have just as much opportunity as someone choosing to go out of state. The same can be said for friends. You have the ability to meet new people every day. You don’t have to leave your state to go and do that. Everyone needs to know that life awaits them and they can make the best out of it no matter where they are.