Almost everyone anticipates arriving at college. This is the place that represents the new path to your future, and you’re entirely in charge of it. While choosing a college, I craved something unfamiliar. Coming from a small town in New Jersey with only 140 students in my graduating class, I knew it was time for me to plunge headfirst into a big pond, rather than the shallow waters I’ve experienced for the past 18 years. However, as I reflect upon my first month of being at UNCW, I can determine that it was, and still is, a much more complex transition than I thought. For starters, while attempting to express my admiration for New Jersey in all its glory, I’m confronted by the hostile stereotype that New Jersey is nothing but trashy and vile. I think to myself, aren’t Southerners supposed to have the stereotype of being undeniably friendly? What happened to that? I never felt too much attachment to New Jersey, until I was met with this preconceived idea.
However what most people fail to recognize is that North Carolina and New Jersey are fairly similar. Beaches, mountains, and cities are only a drive away. That is what I always admired about North Carolina- it has the same feeling of comfort as New Jersey, yet allows me to experience a different lifestyle. Another conflict I have faced just within the first month is how lonely it can be living 12 hours away. While applying to schools, I did not consider distance. My parents were driving me crazy, I had seen the same people every single day for as long as I could remember, and I was jaded of living inside of a 1.286 square mile bubble. However, when you attend a school where 82% of individuals have the option to go home on the weekend, you start to feel more homesick than you thought you would. For example, all of my roommates are returning home for Fall Break. After spending countless hours online waiting for an affordable flight to appear (that, in reality, will never appear), I craved the attention of my parents and the comfort of my own bed. The jitters I have experienced within this first month has made me extremely grateful for the place I call home. Although I do not regret my decision about moving to North Carolina, it is much harder to adapt as an out-of-state student. I’m continuing to wrap my head around its slang, traditions, and lifestyle. Hopefully the more familiar I become with my surroundings, the more it will feel like home.
Cover Photo Courtesy of Number 1 Auto Transport. Photo Courtesy of Nj Hiking. Photo Courtesy of Pinterest.