The Struggles of Being an Out-of-State College Student

 

 

While everyone loves a new experience, leaving your home state for college can be 

 

difficult! Especially coming back to school after a relaxing Winter Break filled with 

 

home cooked meals, family, friends, and did I mention home cooked meals? I am from 

 

Maryland, and while I love Clemson, there are definitely things I miss about home. I 

 

know every out of state student can speak to this. Here are some examples of the 

 

struggles out-of-staters experience:

 

 

 

 

 

At home, everyone flies their Maryland flags. It hangs in windows, front lawns, 

 

socks, shirts, and it’s on stickers on the back of cars. If I’m walking around 

 

campus and I see someone wearing Maryland gear, it’s like this mini freak out 

 

attack, I want to hug them and yell “ME TOO” but because that would be totally 

 

creepy, so I don’t. Nobody understands the importance of home state pride until 

 

they’re no longer in their home state!

 

 

 

 

 

Whether it’s those New Jersey Bagels and Pizza, Ohio Buckeye Balls, 

 

Massachusetts Chowder, Georgia Peaches, or Maryland steamed crabs, everyone 

 

has their native cuisine that they miss when they go to school. Winter Break 

 

becomes a contest- let’s see how much of my home foods I can stuff my face with 

 

and still make it back to school wearing the same size jeans! After all, gotta load 

 

up on enough to last a couple months!

 

 

 

 

 

Most people that travel far away for college are ready to “leave everything 

 

behind” and look for a change, but almost all of them realize quickly they will 

 

actually miss what they left behind. The prime example of this is our family. I 

 

looked back at my call log, and realized the week I came back from Winter Break 

 

I talked to my parents at least once every day. I think sometimes we forget how 

 

much we need them, whether your mom is your best friend, you’re a Daddy’s 

 

Girl, or you have siblings that you banter with endlessly. The Clemson family is 

 

one of my favorite things about school, but nothing beats the family I have at 

 

home.

 

 

 

 

 

Just saying the word tuition makes me cringe. The first time I looked at my bill I 

 

had to look again, and I wondered, “Did they throw in a couple extra zeroes?” Out 

 

of state tuition is no easy price, but here in God’s country we get our moneys 

 

worth of our education.

 

 

 

 

 

I cannot stress enough how blessed my in-state friends are to be able to see their 

 

pets on the weekend. Whether your pet is slimy, scaly, furry, or some other odd 

 

texture, nobody can love the way they can. If I didn’t think that I would get 

 

caught, my dog would live in my dorm with me, no doubt about it.

 

 

 

 

 

While many people have their parents come pick them up, or drive their own car 

 

home, many out-of-staters do not have that luxury. There is no way my parents 

 

are driving 10 hours to come pick me up, and then 10 hours home. I drive a little 

 

2007 Hyundai Accent, and it wouldn’t survive the long drive on I-85. This leaves 

 

me to empty my wallet for a plane ticket and fight to the death on Ride Post to get 

 

into a shuttle to the airport, or offer a stranger some cookies and gas money to 

 

take me along with them towards home. Nobody will understand the stress of not 

 

being sure how you’re getting home until a couple days before break quite like us 

 

out-of-staters.

 

 

 

No matter if you’re from close or far, we all miss home sometimes. 

 

Whether you’re missing your food, your dog, or your mom, the Clemson family will help 

 

make up for it. It doesn’t matter if you’ve just transferred to Clemson or have been here for awhile, 

 

this campus is full of friendly faces and it’s never too late to try something new!