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February 16, 2012
Confessions of an Out-of-Stater
When I was deciding which colleges I wanted to apply to as a freshman in high school, I knew I wanted to go out of state. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself. Although freshman year was a difficult transition, looking back on my experiences at IU, I can’t imagine myself at any other school. My life at here has been pretty grand, but there are some problems that us out-of-staters experience that a typical Hoosier doesn’t have to worry about. Here are a few of the issues I have encountered as an out-of-state student. Lack of transportation: Just like many other students who don’t live in the state of Indiana, I chose to not bring my car to school because I didn’t want to have to drive 16 hours to get it here. It would also entail that I would have to park on Jordan Ave. For those of you who don’t live on Jordan, you are incredibly lucky because trying to find a spot to park is probably one of the most stressful situations I have ever encountered. It’s always so crowded and I am inept when it comes to parallel parking. When I made the decision to leave my car at home, I thought I could just borrow my friend’s cars or hitch a ride with someone if I needed to go to the store. I never anticipated how much of a hassle it would be to be immobile. Most of the people I know who have cars rarely let anyone borrow them and it sucks being the girl who always has to be chauffeured everywhere. Culture shock: Yes, Indiana is not a foreign country, but compared to Texas it might as well be. I never realized how different people from different areas could be until I came to school. I think “laid-back” is probably the best adjective to describe the Midwest. When I came to school I was shocked to learn that students wore tall socks, sneakers and suspenders to football games. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but for my first football game I wore a dress, because in the South it’s custom to dress up for games. This is just one example of the many differences I have found, don’t get me wrong; I love being around people who are different than I am, but it definitely took some getting used to. Homesickness: I am very close to my family. I did want to go to school far away from home, but I never expected to miss my them this much. I talk to my parents on the phone all of the time, which helps, but the worst is not being able to go home on a random weekend just because I want to. When most of my friends can drive home on a whim, if wanted to go home I would have to plan months in advance, pay a small fortune for a flight and book a shuttle to and from the airport. I spend more time traveling than I actually do at home. The jokes: I understand that I may be as much of a culture shock to everyone else just as much as they are to me, but it has come to a point where the jokes need to cease and desist. I’m not sorry that I wear cowboy boots and I’m definitely not sorry that I say y’all! I know it’s different for people who aren’t used to it, but I hate being mocked every time I open my mouth. People point it out to me as if I’m not aware that I say it. Don’t be confused by the underlying frustration in this article. I love this campus and the people I have been fortunate enough meet. As cheesy as it sounds I have definitely realized that the small problems I have to deal with are worth it, because like I said before, I honestly can’t imagine myself at any other school.
Danielle is a sophomore studying journalism. You may contact her at dsouth@indiana.edu.
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