College, a time for young adults to find their passion through education. I, myself, am one of those people. Growing up, I lived in a small town in Upstate New York which is actually known as the smallest city in New York. I grew up with large, empty plots of land which we often used to four-wheel, and when it began to get cold, the snowmobiles were brought out for the annual period of fun. I grew up knowing everyone’s name, and everyone’s secrets vice versa. However, my environment recently changed as I moved 5 hours from home to live in Philadelphia and study at Jefferson University. Throughout the last 2 ½ months I have discovered a few things about college and what being so far from home really feels like.
First, and, foremost college is a brand-new scenery no matter where you go and with a new environment brings new freedoms and new friends. Within the little time I’ve been at school, I have found some people that I would be happy to always call my forever friends. I have discovered brand-new places with these people and loved every minute of it. However, being in such a different area than I am used to, the slang and rhetoric that is a part of Philadelphia is so different to me. It’s going to be like that no matter where you go. I’ve noticed the phrase “jawn” is used a lot in any context it can be and “hoagie” is used instead of sub or footlong. The community in Philadelphia has proven itself to be very unique and the most interesting part is when you start to pick up the lingo wherever you are, and then start to talk like that even when you’re home for breaks, leaving friends and family from home very confused.
Leaving home is huge deal honestly. You’re going to college, so you’re beginning to be sought out as an adult. But, living on your own can be tough, especially if you’re not close to home. The dorm adjustment is always hard, constantly having to wear shoes and making sure to remember your key and ID every time you leave the room. College is a huge adjustment, no doubt and when things get uncomfortable or hard to adjust towards, it’s common to want moral support from your parents and/or whoever you’re comfortable talking to. It’s especially hard if you can’t see those people through more than just a facetime call. Going farther away means more travel expenses to come home and not to mention, traveling home can get complicated. I recently had missed a train ride home and booked a bus ticket in replacement, which then lead me to buying another bus ticket because the connections were not timed correctly. Moral of the story, don’t miss your first departure when things aren’t complicated at all.
Although college comes with many untold tales that everyone leaves up to you to figure out, the experience of college in a whole is a great one. You discover yourself, the type of person you wish to be, and the type of person you want people to see you as. Don’t be afraid to go a little out of your comfort zone to find your passions and what truly makes you happy.