Going away for school was probably one of the most exciting things I’ve ever decided to do. For the first time ever I have complete freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want. It didn’t take me long to learn it’s not a glamorous as it seems.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret it at all. There’s just the little things in life that I’m missing. I’m missing having my car to go wherever I want, I miss having extra money to be able to go shopping with friends or going out to eat. I miss greeting my brother from a long day at work and sitting in the kitchen for two hours talking about our days. Overall it was a big change that I’m not sure I can ever go back to.

There are also a lot of things though I love with being away from home. I have made my own little family here with our own little routine and I’m not sure if I could get through this semester without them. They make it so there is always someone to go to if I’m feeling down, they stop me from yelling “I’m transferring!!” whenever something doesn’t go my way. It makes it a treat to see friends and family I don’t usually see.

So I guess this is a something for the 2017 and the classes following it to learn. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zones. Leaving your friends and family to start a new life is a big step, especially at the young age of 18. You quickly learn that the freedom isn’t always great. It’s actually really expensive and quite overwhelming. Overall I believe you learn different life skills you wouldn’t learn if you stayed home. I definitely believe the experience is something that should be experienced.