Going to an out of state university can have many benefits to ones character and personal growth. I think many stray away from this option because they feel it may be scary or hard to start over in a new place. It is hard and scary but the benefits you gain from doing this are greater than the negatives. I am personally an out of state student at my current university William Paterson University, which is in New Jersey. I’m from Maryland. In the beginning, it was really hard for me to leave my family, my cats and my friends behind, but with time it got easier as I created a new family here. I am going to share some of the benefits you gain by attending an out of state university.
Self-growth
Honestly one of the biggest things I have experienced since moving to New Jersey for school is personal growth. Independence is a part of adulthood that ultimately hits you the most once you move away from your parents. What I mean by that is you are finally in control of your life and your actions as a whole. I believe its important to start learning how to financially support yourself and budget your lifestyle while in college. This will be more effective if you aren’t as close to your parents because you may not lean on them as much. Freedom goes along with independence but it gives you a sense of overall responsibility for your every move. You no longer, for the most part, have to put a lot of others needs in front of your own anymore. You can take more time to yourself. Self-care is important and often we lose sight of that so going to an out of state university might help you fall into a better routine that has your best interests in it.
New Start
Some might think starting over sounds horrendous but believe me, it is beneficial for everyone to embrace change and growth. You will be surrounded by a completely new environment and new groups of people. This is perfect for people to immerse in new cultures and new friend groups. It gives you room to expand from high school friendships and discover who you are as a person. College comes with a lot of new opportunities as well which you will most likely take as an out of state student. You will have to put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone to make friends. That is a good thing because it builds confidence and strength in oneself. Exploring a new area is fun and time consuming so you will never run out of places to explore and things to do when you have free time.
Listed above are just some things I think that are super important for everyone to do in their life, and what better way to accomplish those things than by attending an out of state university. I speak from experience that it is hard and scary to put yourself out there, but once you do you won’t regret it. Push yourself to experience something new and get a good education in a new area so you can make everlasting memories just like I am.