Nearly everyone I talked to while going through the treacherous college process either alluded to or told me straight up that you can’t love college if you loved high school or vice versa. I am here as a real, live witness to tell you this is 100% false.
I had an amazing high school experience. I had a really close group of seven other girls who were and still are, the sisters I never had (as cheesy as that sounds). I’ve never had to do anything harder then leave them when I left for Kenyon. They were all I had ever known, and the thought of going about my daily schedule without them right by my side was nothing other than terrifying. I couldn’t imagine meeting anyone else who would even slightly compare.
On top of this, I loved where I grew up. I have lived in Belmont, Massachusetts my whole life, just a short bus ride to Harvard Square and a quick 20 min train into Boston. The energy and passion of the city is so special, but I knew I wanted to go somewhere far. I recently went home a few weeks ago for a break, and driving down Memorial or walking on Newbury filled me right back up to the brim with happiness and Massachusetts pride. I know Boston is home because coming back felt like I had never left.
As I said earlier, I wanted to get away from New England. Even though it’s home, it’s also undeniably a bubble, and in order to immerse myself fully in the college experience, I wanted to be far enough that I would have to fly there and back. An obvious important part of loving college is picking the right one, and putting a lot of work into making sure it’s the best possible fit for you. The second I got to Kenyon, I could see myself as a thriving college student walking down middle path with a Wiggin St hot chocolate in hand.
For me, a big part of why I chose Kenyon is the way it reminded me of the community I grew up in, the one I loved so much. I think this is the biggest reason why I’ve been lucky to have such a smooth transition so far into college. Of course, there are good days and there are bad days. I constantly remind myself and my friends of this when they’re having a hard time with anything. It’s hard to ask a first-semester freshman if they like college so far because of the inevitable ups and downs that come with adjusting to a new home.
So, as the title of this article reads, you can, in fact, love where you grew up and your new home in college. As long as you’re in a fitting community and you have an open mind, college is filled with fantastic new people and experiences. It can be hard to feel disconnected with your old community sometimes, but going home and seeing everyone and everything feels like you never even left. If you’re like me, during those first few days away from school over fall break, you even miss your college friends too!