One of the hardest things about college is actually choosing the college you want to spend the next four years of your life at. But, choosing to go out of state is an even harder decision because you have to make many sacrifices. Whether you're 500 miles away from home, or 1,000 miles away from home, I guarantee that you will understand some of these points.
1. Every State Has Its Own Culture/Lingo:
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One thing about different states is that they each have their own lingo. And by lingo, I mean language. Apparently, there is a huge difference between Virginia and South Carolina. For example, people in Virginia don't say things like "y'all" or "britches"; (meaning pants for anyone who does not know). So, if you decide to go out of state, be prepared to explain your state's lingo to your friends and vice versa.
2. Going Home Often is Not an Option:
When you go out of state, going home often is not an option. In college, most students go home for the weekends to spend some time with family. But unfortunately, when you live 500 miles or 1,000 miles away, going home every weekend is just not an option. Wasting $200 to $400 on a plane or train ticket to go home for a couple of days is just not worth it. So, being better acquainted with campus seems like the best idea.
3. You Meet a Wide Range of People:
No matter where you go to college, either in-state or out of state, you will meet a wide- variety of people. But, going out of state increases this chance of happening even more. Not only is it just a new city, but a new state entirely. So, new things can mean a new start from the high-school you. You will meet people with not only a different background, but also with different cultures. For instance the South really does have southern hospitality compared to where I am from in Northern Virginia. But, no matter the differences, we still love our in-state friends.
4. People Will Claim That You Have an Accent:
When you go out of state, people will tell you that you have an accent. I did not even know that it was possible to have a Virginian accent until I went further down south to South Carolina. So, instead of trying to fight it, just stop and embrace the fact that it will happen.
5. You Begin to Brag about Your Home State and Town:
One thing I didn't notice that I did a lot is that I "brag about my home state". When I was in high school, I always told myself that "I was going to go out of state because I hated Virginia". But, little did I know that I would always talk about Virginia to my in-state friends. I guess deep down inside, I actually low-key love Virginia.
6. You Spend Holidays with Your In-state Friends:
When you go out of state, traveling becomes expensive. Sometimes you have to weigh the options of cost and opportunity. Is it really worth it to spend 200 dollars to go home for Thanksgiving Break .. or can I just crash with one of my in-state friends? My freshman year of college was the first year I did not spend Thanksgiving with my parents. So, instead I went home with one of my friends who lived in South Carolina and spent Thanksgiving with her family.
7. You Learn About New Everyday Places:
Many people would think that there would not be many differences between Virginia and South Carolina because they are both southern states. But, when I got to South Carolina, I saw many fast-food restaurants and grocery stores that I have never heard of before. Like Publix, Bi-Lo, Piggly-Wiggly, Zaxby's, and Cookout (which is not in the Northern Virginia area).
