The most common response I get when I tell people I am going to Gettysburg College is: “Wow that’s so far.” Some people don’t understand why I’d ever leave sunny California and risk freezing on the East Coast. So to anyone who has ever asked “Why leave California?” here is my explanation.
Independence:
Since I am going to school 2,800 miles away from home, it will be impossible for me to come home every weekend with 10 pounds of laundry for my mom to do. I will be forced to handle illnesses, finals, and everything else that college has in store without parental assistance. Hopefully, this will make my transition into real adulthood easier when I graduate.
New Perspectives:
I am from the Bay Area, which is obviously a very liberal region of the country. Although it was nice growing up in an area where everyone pretty much agrees with one another, I am excited to hear new perspectives from different types of people. If I had stayed in state, I would have met a lot of other Californians, but by going to school out of state I am guaranteed to meet people from other states who have had different experiences and have different perspectives than me.
Weather:
Although it does snow in some parts of California, it certainly does not in my home town. I am excited to experience a fall where the leaves turn a plethora of colors and a winter where I don’t have to drive 3 hours to see snow. College is the perfect time to experience this because if I hate snow, I can always move back home when I graduate.
Variety of Colleges:
California is known for the UC system. If I wanted to go to a big university I would definitely stay in state as we have the best public university system in the country! However, California only has a few liberal art colleges, and since I wanted to go to a small school I had to look out of state to find the type of college I wanted.
It’s Temporary:
College is the perfect time to move far away from home because it’s only four years. I won’t have a job or family that is forcing me to stay in a certain location. After I graduate, I can always move back home. With the skills I learn at Gettysburg, I am sure that I will be able to get a job anywhere in the country, or even the world, so that I can live wherever I want.