"You're going where? How can you move so far away from home?" This question pretty much summed up the latter part of my high school senior year. As someone who grew up on an island many associate with paradise, very few people understood why I wanted to trade beautiful beaches and palm trees for scorching heat and saguaros. Being an 18-year-old, I defended my decision with thoughtless answers such as "It's hot but I could never go somewhere where it snows - I would die!" or "Don't you know it's one of the top party schools?" As much as I prepared myself to be U of A's international hype man, the truth was all I wanted was to go somewhere new, exciting, and most importantly, as far from home as possible.

So, fast forward to moving day. Here I was excited and eagerly anticipating the move into my new apartment when I have my first ever panic attack. I started shaking. I felt like I couldn't breathe. All I wanted to do was catch the first one-way flight home. I asked myself "What am I doing?" After a few tears and some more deep breaths I told myself, "adventure starts at the same point comfort ends". As cheesy as it may sound, it helped!

Three years later and these a few things college has taught me so far:

1.The expression, "there's no place like home" can apply to more than one place. There are still days I wish more than anything that I could hop on a plane back home but then there are others when I'm so happy I couldn't imagine being anywhere else besides Tucson.

2.The person you were when you started college isn't the same person you are going to be when you graduate. You'll even be a different person by the end of your freshman year, and then you'll change again, and again. If you're not changing you're not growing, and if you're not growing then you're not taking full advantage of all your opportunities. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back from growing. Change your mind and change it again, and then a million times more. Change as many times as you wish, life's too short to stay the same.

3.Don't dismiss things because you're not sure about them. Be open-minded. It's better to live with a list of mistakes and accomplishments than a list of regrets.

So take it from me, no matter where you're from, how many languages you speak, the color of your skin, or your last name, college is YOUR time to shine and yours only. Keep your heart and mind open to everything and everyone and I guarantee you'll find your home away from home.

Cover Image Credit: Pixabay