When I originally toured my university's campus, I fell in love with it immediately. It is the type of college that I had always imagined myself going to. It's in a small southern town. The campus is not too big, and not too small. To me it was perfect. However, it was four hours away from home and I was the only one out of all of my friends who was going to that school, as well as the only one who went to a school so far away from home! After debating with myself for a while, I finally decided that I was going to give it a shot, step outside of my comfort zone, and try living on my own.
I started my classes that summer. Because of my SAT score, I was required to take a summer program before I could be admitted for the fall. So not only was I the only one to be going to college far away, I was also the FIRST one out of everyone to go to college. I was terrified. I was so scared that I wouldn't make any friends or like school. However, when I actually dived into it, every fear that I had eventually went away.
Upon starting college I realized that I was not alone in the way that I was feeling. Everyone was worried about the same things! Whether it was getting lost on campus or making new friends, I was not the only one! And I realized that people really are friendly. We tell ourselves that people won't like us or won't want to be friends with us, but that is so not true! I have met some of the most amazing people since starting in college, and I could not be more grateful.
A lot of people may think that it had to have been hard to have been that far away from home, but with technology nowadays it's so easy to stay connected! I am still in the same group message with my high school friends that we started three years ago, and we still talk all the time! I get to see them whenever I go home during school breaks. That just makes that time that I get to spend with them so much more special. And as far as being away from my family, we FaceTime all the time. Technology is really so amazing. However, being away from home and people who knew me in high school has been such a fresh start! No one has these preconceived ideas of you that you feel like you have to sustain. You can truly be whoever you have always wanted to be!
As far as being in college, I could not have imagined myself being where I am right now back then. I have declared my major in public relations and my minor in French and I now have a better idea of the direction where I want my life to go. I have also found Mary Kay, which is a such a blessing that I could write a whole other article on. Although there have been plenty of bumps in the road along the way, that is a part of growing up and I can truly say that I am so happy with where my life is right now, and I am so excited for my future!
