For almost 19 years, the place I called home was also home to 12,246 people. Now, 411 miles and six hours later, I have found a new home with nearly triple that population.
I moved from my small, familiar city where everyone knew everyone and basketball was a religion, to a huge campus where I knew one person and I don't think they know that basketball is a real sport.
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People ask me all the time, "Why move? Why Alabama, Why so far away?" Honesty, I don't have one, single answer! I fell in love with the thought of going to The University of Alabama because of my cousin. I fell in love with the school the minute I took an online tour and learned everything there is to know about my major, I fell head over heels in love with the school when I came down and attended my first Alabama football game (Roll Tide!) And most importantly, I fell in love with myself when I started living here.
Moving away from home was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. I have been forced to grow up and learn how to live on my own. I have had to do my own laundry, venture out for food, wash my own dishes in a community bathroom sink, cut my own nails, be responsible for waking myself up every day so that I don't miss class, make new friends and trying to not get hit by a car every time I walk outside of my dorm building.
If you would have asked me this time last year if I thought I would actually be here and not depending on my mom for everything, I would have said no. I would have told you I'm not sure if I could actually survive without my mom or dad being 10 minutes down the road. But here I am. Six hours away from them surviving as well as I possibly can. Well, sort of. I will thank my roommate for being there for me every step of the way and being a fill in mom.
I would not change this experience for the world and I am so excited to see where this year in Alabama takes me!
