Whether you're leaving home for college, a job, the military etc., this will be a time full of change and new experiences. I'm sure you're feeling a mixture of different emotions from excitement to nervous to anxious. Whatever emotions you're feeling, just know it's going to be okay and everyone is feeling similar emotions. It's a time full of change and most likely being on your own to some extent for the first time in your life.

You've probably been dreaming of the day you get to finally leave home, but as the day gets closer you're probably realizing how much your hometown and the people in your life have shaped you into the person you know are. You're probably ready to meet new people, but it won't be until you're leaving or a few weeks after you left that you really realize how grateful you are for the people back at home. The friendships you formed since childhood, you'll finally learn to fully appreciate and realize how much those people mean to you. You'll be away from your family for the first time and you'll never realize how much your family did for you until you're away from them.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to make a close group of friends right away. Of course, it's important to have friends the first few weeks but those may not be your friends forever. These people are still important though because they'll be the people you lean on during the first few weeks or months of change and when you are first homesick. Although these friendships might not last forever, you'll always share a special bond with them because they were your first friends away from home. If you don't feel like you're connecting with a group of people right away, that's okay. It's important to remember that friendships take time. With that being said, don't compare your new friendships to friendships back at home that have had years to develop. Some people don't find their group of friends until later on, and that's okay too.

When it comes to being away from home for the first time on your own, you'll have so many opportunities to try new things. It's important to try new things but still remain true to who you are. Don't try things just to try to fit in with new friends, they'll appreciate it more if you are exactly who you are. Obviously, it's completely normal to change over time especially when you're away from home, but it's important to change for yourself and not for anyone else. Being away from home allows you so much new freedom in more scenarios that you didn't have before.

Whatever may happen during your journey from home, remember everything does happen for a reason and will work out exactly how it's supposed to. You'll feel homesick and miss everyone from home but you'll get through it. You'll learn to appreciate everyone at home but will also learn to make new friends and to lean on them. You'll be in a new atmosphere with so many new opportunities to try. Remember to have fun, be open to change, open up to new people and stay true to who you are. Whatever may happen, you'll be okay.