First things first: I love where I grew up. I've called Austin (more specifically, Round Rock) home for the past 11 years. I could write a whole other article about why you should raise children in Austin. Growing up, we were about 25 minutes away from downtown with no traffic. I spent my last summer living at home working in the heart of downtown, at the paddle board and kayak hut on Town Lake.

However, I'm currently typing this article in my dorm on the 7th floor of my building -- exactly 10 hours and 32 minutes from home. During these last few weeks of tests, essays, meeting so many new people, and laughing more than I ever had, I've seen myself in so many different ways. I've always been a fairly happy person, but living on my own in a new environment has made me push myself and to consciously be happy.

Moving far away for college -- like crossing state lines far -- is kind of like hitting a restart button. Obviously you have the same personality and memories as you did back home, but it's really easy to start over. Of course, I had a good childhood and a good time in high school so it was never my intention to move somewhere new and start over. I didn't want people to think I was another cliche college girl who moved somewhere new and went, "I just really want to rediscover myself" because I didn't think there was necessarily anything to rediscover. I thought I was already a decently strong girl and nothing in life came too difficult to me.

Immersing yourself in a new culture with new people has made me meet so many people I wouldn't have met otherwise. Comparing childhoods and awkward stages with my friends from the other side of the country has been one of my favorite past times. I am more tolerant and better because of them. I can also choose who to be around by knowing who knows me the best and who makes me the happiest. In high school you just hung out with the people you saw the most or who lived closest to you.

For the past few days I've been thinking of this quote I came across on Instagram. It's summed up my last few weeks here. God bless and go Rebs.

"I used to sit on the banks with a raft and watch the water roll lazily by. One day I pushed my raft into the shallows of the water and found the water moved swifter than I thought. My raft was actually a boat. Then, after some time, I rowed my little boat into deeper waters. There were great storms, mighty winds, tremendous waves, and sometimes I felt so alone. But I have noticed my little rowboat is now a mighty ship manned by my friends and loved ones; and beautiful calm seas, warm sunny days, and nights filled with comfortable dreams always double after a storm. Now, I could never go back and sit on the bank. In fact, I search for deeper water. Such is life when lived." - B. D. Gulledge