Until my senior year of high school, I planned on attending one of the many colleges in North Carolina because there are so many excellent schools close to where I live. During application season, I applied to way too many schools (I'm ridiculously indecisive), though primarily to those in North Carolina.

It was only because of a conversation I overheard about receiving in-state tuition to the University of South Carolina that I began to look into the school. I applied in early November after reading about the highly ranked honors college and International Business program, though I had yet to tour the school. It was not until admitted student's day that I stepped foot on campus.

It sounds cliche, but as soon as I stepped foot on campus I felt at home. A lot of my friends decided where they wanted to go when they had that "moment," though until this instance I thought they were just being dramatic.

While I was hesitant at first to go somewhere I had little experience with, I knew it was the right decision. I'm only midway through my first semester and honestly believe that going somewhere out-of-state was the best decision I could have made.

1. You're forced to get out of your comfort zone.

Even if you're a confident person and student, going to a new school, regardless of the number of people you know, is intimidating. Especially at a school you know little, if not no one. It can be really easy at first to recluse to your room when you don't know anyone and keep to yourself. What's nice is that all freshman are in the same boat, by doing homework in common areas and leaving your door open you can begin to meet people.

Like many students, talking to professors and older students is stressful to me, mainly because I don't want to be seen as that typical freshman that doesn't know anything. However, I knew I had to because I was extremely involved in high school and wanted to take advantage of campus opportunities in college, as well.

I know if I had gone to a school a lot of my friends go to I would have definitely stuck to those friendships and found comfort in doing group activities with them, rather than extending myself to find opportunities I'm truly interested in.

2. The friends you make in college are different than those you have from high school.

I am still extremely close to my high school friends, but I have to admit that the friendships I have made in college are significantly different. When you're at college, you live by your friends, maybe even down the hall from them, so you are with them for everything, from meals to study sessions and just hanging out.

I have a lot of friends all going to the same college and as much as I miss them, I am so grateful for the fact I have equally close, new friends at school — something I am not sure I would have done if I went to school with people from high school. I continue to see posts of the same friendship groups from high school in college, and while I am glad they were able to stick together, I think it's important to meet new people and by going to an out-of-state school I was definitely able to do so.

3. You learn how to truly be independent.

I now live almost four hours away from home, which while not far, is far enough my parents don't just drive down whenever they please and I am forced to do my own laundry (which is easy, but annoying). It is truly liberating to be on your own, though I admit that when I get sick I miss the comfort of my bed at home.

4. You can be your "true" self.

By this, I don't mean that myself or others were necessarily "fake" in high school, though I believe by going somewhere far from home I was able to really shape into the person I truly am because others here don't have a mold of who they think I am and want me to be.

Also, without taking the leap and going where I needed to go, I wouldn't have found the girls in the picture above, who are all from different states and share the same belief that going somewhere out-of-state was an amazing decision.