The process of choosing a college, moving away from home, and getting used to pseudo-adult life is a whirlwind of emotions no matter how you look at it. Throw in the unique challenges of also living out-of-state, and things can feel incredibly overwhelming at times. Here are some of the most basic tips, from someone who has been navigating this out-of-state adventure for the past three years.

1. Don't be 'That Person' who compares everything (negatively) to your home state.

Even if Pennsylvanians walk at a pace that makes a native New Yorker want to gouge her eyes out, and even if for some alien reason you can't buy beer in WalMart here, and even if you're a casualty of the WaWa vs. Sheetz vs. QuickChek war... you chose to live here. You chose to accept this state for all its quirks and unique qualities and if you spend your entire college career loudly lamenting all of the things that are "wrong" with this state, people are gonna get real tired of you real fast. People do things differently in different places, you should have learned this in approximately third grade. Now hush.

2. Get cozy with your friends' families.

Especially those who live in-state. Because let me tell ya, Family Weekend is a real drag when your family is 200+ miles away and can't make it down to see you and everyone is running about with their great big happy families. Get to know your BFF's parents so that you have at least a family to go to lunch with, if not your family. And if you're super close, and if your school gives you irrationally short holiday breaks that make a trip home inadvisable if not impossible, you just might have an adoptive family happy to feed you Thanksgiving dinner and ask you if you're sleeping enough.

3. Get to know the area.

This might seem obvious but it goes hand-in-hand with my first point, which is that you've chosen this brand new place to live in, and it is your privilege if not your duty to get to know that place. Four years is a long time and, whether you've thought of this or not, this place is your home now. Get to know it. Explore the city, get lost a time or two, and definitely become familiar with the public transportation system.

4. Always have enough money in your bank account for an emergency trip home.

Whether you have your own car or are a slave to Greyhound like me, it's always a good idea to make sure that you're prepared, should anything happen at home. I know it can be tough, and I've definitely missed a few family gatherings due to insufficient funds, but it's nice to feel sure that you could get home if you needed to.

5. Learn how to pack efficiently.

You're too far away for a weekend trip home to switch our your winter and spring wardrobes, or grab that really cute pair of shoes you forgot in your closet, or pack a few more books because you finished all the ones you brought. You've pretty much got one shot to move everything in. Learn how to pack only what you KNOW you will need... and only acquire what you know will fit in the car when it comes time to move out at the end of the semester. And when you do forget your giant Norton anthology of the complete works of Shakespeare, and your mom spends $10+ to mail it to you, and then you only use it like one time because you found your other complete works of Shakespeare... make sure you give her a shout out.

6. Make sure your documents are in order.

Your doctor, your bank, your pharmacy, voter registration, all of those fun adult things that don't at all make us want to gargle rusty nails-- make sure you fill out whatever forms and call whatever overly-chipper people you need to, to make sure all of your affairs are in order. Or, ideally, ask your parents to do it because you're not a grownup yet and real life is too stressful.

7. Don't forget where you come from... or do. That's your prerogative.

Whatever your reasons are for going out of state, whether you fell in love with a school that happened to be hundreds of miles away or you deliberately searched for a school as far away as possible, that's not really anybody's business but your own. It's okay if you're still pining for home and cheering for your high school basketball team. And it's okay if you fall in love with your new city and feel more at home here than you ever did in high school. Home truly is where the heart is and your heart is allowed to love where it loves. Whether you cross the state border and never look back, or go back to buy a house down the street from the one you grew up in, your only obligation is to make it worth the ride.