Before I left my hometown, life was mostly repetitive and boring. There was nothing left to do that I hadn't already done a million times before. After being around the same faces for over a decade, I was ready to leave home. It's not that I didn't love my house, family, dogs, or living a mile away from Wegmans, but I wanted a change. I needed a change.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

I wanted to see what else the world had to offer. I wanted to meet new people and explore endless opportunities. At first, adjusting to life away from home was hard. However, leaving was the best decision I ever made.

Here are 6 reasons why you should leave your hometown.

1. Meet new people

I had a few real friends while growing up who are still my closest friends today, but I grew tired of hanging out with the same people. I couldn't wait to have a clean slate and be in a room filled with new faces. When I moved away, I met new friends who later turned into family. I also met the love of my life.

Looking back now, it's hard to believe I spent 18 years of my life without the people I met when I left home. You should try to meet as many people as you can wherever you go. There is something special in loving people in more than one place.

2. Experience new places

There is more out there than the place you grew up in. There is more out there than the people you went to school with since pre-k. It’s hard for me to understand how someone can spend their entire life living in the same place.

Aren't you bored? Aren't you curious? Aren't you over hanging out at the same place you spent years hanging out at?

If you get the chance to see other parts of the world besides the same streets and "fun" locations of your hometown, you should take it in a heartbeat. Seeing other parts of the world teaches you about diversity and creates once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

3. Leave your comfort zone

Yes, we all love our comfort zone. However, staying in your comfort zone can make you miss out on friendships, careers, romances, opportunities, dreams, etc. It's tough to separate from the people and places you know like the back of your hand, but it's worth it.

You become stronger, self-confident, and experienced. You cannot grow as a person if you hide in your comfort zone forever. The day I packed up my life and moved to a different city, I left my comfort zone.

4. Learn not everyone is like you

With different people and backgrounds, come different opinions. One of the hardest lessons I learned after moving away was that people were different than me, what I was used to, and where I came from. I learned not everyone cared about me the same way I expected them to. Not everyone I met loved me when I was hard to love like my childhood friends and family always did.

This allows you to become more open-minded. You will learn it's okay that people are different than you. At the same time, you will also seem different to others. Stay true to who you are anyways.

5. Live away from your parents

Moving away from your parents will force you to become more responsible and independent. Mommy and Daddy aren’t there to cook your meals, set appointments for you, do your laundry, manage your money, tell you when to do your homework, etc.

You will no longer have your parents telling you what to do or what time to be home by (this is one of the perks). You make your own rules. With that being said, though, you have to be smart and aware when looking out for yourself. This teaches you to be more conscious of your surroundings and the people you become comfortable with.

6. Feel appreciative

My appreciation grew stronger for my hometown after I lived away from it. I developed a type of appreciation I never had before. It’s true when they say you don't realize what you have until it's gone. Home will always be home.

However, leaving changes you. Leaving makes you better in ways you can't understand until you do it yourself. Now, when I'm back in my hometown for longer than a week, I remember why I couldn't wait to leave. I'm so glad that I did.