As someone who had a mediocre high school experience, finding the perfect college was a huge priority for me. I spent a great amount of time visiting colleges throughout my state, but I could never picture myself at any of them. It wasn’t until I traveled to Orlando that I finally found a university that made me excited for my future. However, as much as I loved the campus, it took me a while to convince myself that moving across the country was the right choice. The majority of my graduating class went to college right outside our hometown. Despite my urge to get away, I envied the comfort they wouldn’t lose. If you’re looking for a few more reasons to travel for college, here’s what convinced me.
- Having an excuse to move to a new city
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If you’re like me, you’ve basically lived in the same city your whole life. Moving to a new city, let alone state, by myself seemed crazy. The beautiful thing about college is that nothing is permanent! You could spend 4 years in a new city, then move back to your hometown after college, or you could even spend a year somewhere new and transfer somewhere more familiar. Moving for college is a great way to explore life in a new area without the strings attached.
- Getting a fresh start
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Once you’ve lived somewhere long enough, you sort of know everyone. Most people just become aware of each other, and close friends settle in with each other. Meeting new people is honestly harder when you’re already fairly familiar with everybody and their lives. Going to a college where nobody has any preconceived opinions or ideas about you can be a relief.
- Letting go of baggage from the past
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Don’t you hate going to get coffee and stumbling across your ex-boyfriend? Or driving past the Target you peed your pants in once? Being reminded of certain events (especially the ones from high school), can be draining and overwhelming. Going to a new location allows you to get away from all those bad memories for however long you want. Out of sight, out of mind.
- taking advantage of all your hard work
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Unfortunately, going to a college far away proves to be complicated. Out-of-state tuition is especially expensive. Traveling away from home also means you have to worry about housing. However, you spent so much time preparing for college, why not take advantage of all the scholarships you can earn and colleges you can get accepted into? You worked so hard, don’t feel ashamed to look into all the options you have available to you!
Whether moving far away for you is going across the country or driving an hour, trying new things is hard. Wherever you find yourself going to college, you’re in for a new experience. Being brave is difficult, but I know my future self will always be thankful I took the opportunity to try something new.