Are you or someone you know debating whether or not you should go away to college? Deciding whether or not you want to go away to college is a huge decision. There are several factors that you should take into mind when making this decision. I am currently away at college and although it was hard for me at first, I'm here to share my going away experience to give you insight on my decision to go away and why I think you should too.
When applying to colleges, I had a lot of different schools in mind. Some of them were very close to home while others were hours away. I was not sure whether or not I was ready to go away but the idea of living on a campus was extremely intriguing to me. After watching several movies, reading different articles in magazines, and listening to people's experiences, I thought it was something that would have a very positive impact on my life.
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When I made the final decision to go away to college, I was both nervous and excited. I knew it was a big change but the experience would be life changing. The first thing I began to do was make a registry of items I wanted to get to decorate my room. I knew if I was away from my home and my family, my room needed to be as cozy as possible. On the flip side, I was nervous because I wasn't sure what to expect from my new environment. Luckily, my college had an orientation session the summer before classes began. I was able meet a lot of my fellow incoming freshman. I did not know anyone who was attending the school so it was a great experience for me because I would know a few people when I would come back that September. I was able to get some understanding on what to expect from the current students who lead the orientation session. We were given a tour, participated in many team building activities, and slept over in the dorms for a night. The experience was great because it was a taste of what college would be like when I would return for the new term.
When school started in September, I was able to reconnect with the friends that I made over the summer. We all introduced each other to our roommates and we formed a friend group amongst each other. I was able to meet many people of different majors and from different states. We explored the city of which none of us were familiar with. We tried the different food options here at our school. We also got acquainted with the huge mall near our school: Providence Place Mall.
The first day of classes was a very positive experience for me. The professor of my first class, Intro to Psychology, was also my freshman advisor. Freshman advisors were professors who would help guide students in making decisions in which classes to take during the first year at school. My professor made our class into a little alliance and I made a lot of friends in that class. She encouraged us to speak to each other outside of the classroom because we would probably be in a lot of classes together in the future - and we were! We would go out to eat after class and often meet up at the lounges in our dorms. In the lounges, we were able to watch tv or movies and mingle amongst each other. The lounges were also a great place to do homework with your classmates because you weren't subjected to just staying in our rooms alone. Instead, we could study, speak, and overall build friendships outside of the classroom.
Going away to college brought me out of my comfort zone. In high school, you see the same people every day and probably had a lot of the same classes with your friends. In high school, I knew everyone in my classes. In high school, there were lunch periods, free periods and study periods where there are large groups of tables where you would see all of your friends. However, in college, it is very different. Not everyone in your classes is of the same major so you will most likely only speak to the few people around you. It is up to you to go out of your way and speak to people to make friends.
Going away to college also taught me how to budget my money. Although there are dining halls on campus, you may want to explore your city and try the different restaurants. My first few months, I would go out with friends regularly to the movies, mall, or nearby restaurants and spend a lot of money. I realized that because my friends and I weren't working, we needed to find an alternative to having fun without spending ridiculous amounts of money. Instead of taking an Uber to a restaurant, we would walk to save money. We would also use our campus lawn to play games, such as soccer, instead of going bowling. We would also look at the specials that restaurants were having and go on college nights in order to save a little bit of cash.
Going away to college also encourages your independence. You learn how to make decisions such as whether you should go party on a Wednesday night or finish your paper that's due the next morning. You learn to make appointments for yourself instead of depending on your mother to do it for you. You will meet great professors who you will help guide you to make great decisions so that you can make gains towards your future goal. And lastly, you will make great friends from other states that you can visit when you decide to travel in the future.
Lastly, going away to college has made me appreciate my family so much more. Living with your family, you do not realize how much you need them. While away at college, I call my family often to check up on them. Normally, coming from school we talk briefly about our day and then all migrate to our own rooms. However, being away and not seeing them every day made me treasure the relationships I have with each one of my parents and my younger brother. When I go back home for different breaks, I value every minute more, I am even more thankful for the food and I am extremely happy to be around my family.
Overall, college for me has been a great experience for me. I have learned how to make great friends and network with schoolmates. I have become more independent in making decisions that I am proud of. I have met amazing professors who encourage me to continue to work hard so that when I get older I can look back and be happy about the decisions I made while in college. Lastly, I value the time spent with my family so much more. I think everyone should go away to college for at least a year because there are several valuable lessons that you can't learn until you live without your parents. At first, it may seem scary and overwhelming, but you'll look back and be so proud of the growth you've made as a person.
