Two years ago, I transferred from a small school in East Texas to Texas Tech. The move was the best decision I have ever made in my life, and through the experience, I have learned so much about myself and what it means to stand on my own two feet.

While telling your friends that you have decided to leave them may bring a moment of sadness, the joy you will feel when you are finally where you truly belong is incomparable. There are five things I experienced when I moved and began to get adjusted:

1. You become more self -aware.

When the decision is made to completely change the scenery in these crucial growth years, the following months can feel lonely or isolated. However, taking the leap to make the change can create a new sense of self-awareness. You have made a decision that alters a huge chunk of your education, and the rest of your life, and you made it for yourself. When you are on your own in a new place you have to be true to yourself and find what you are looking for. There’s a reason that you made the decision to leave where you are now, whether that’s people, programs, or opportunities. Find those reasons, write them down, and refer back to them when you begin to doubt your decision.

2. You become closer to your true friends from your old school.

This seems a little backward, but it’s true. I rushed a sorority at my old school and was blessed with an amazing big sister within it. We were close from the start, but when I left, we clung to each other. The same thing happened with my best friend from high school who was also my freshman roommate.

We were inseparable before, and we still talk every day. When you tell people that you have become close to that you are leaving, there will be a variety of reactions. Some will shut you out. Others will support you and make sure that you are happy no matter what. Take note of the ones that support you; keep them in your life and make an effort to show them your appreciation for their kindness.

3. You learn that it’s okay to leave people behind.

You aren’t going to be friends with everyone. And even people you knew from your old school may not be people you want to keep around. There will be those you met or knew at your old school, that were too toxic to keep around as you start your new life elsewhere.

I was lucky enough to be able to transfer into my sorority and meet amazing people through that, and have an instant connection with those around me. Now, I should make it clear that it took a semester to find my place in my sorority and find those that I knew I could keep around.

4. You become your own person.

Transferring to a place where you don’t know anyone is terrifying. You are forced to put yourself in situations to meet people and make friends. Through doing this, you find who you want to be. You have a chance to reinvent yourself or strengthen who you know you are.

I found myself making more of an effort to attend sisterhood events such as bible study, sit by new people at chapter, and talk to that stranger that always sits next to me in class. People change in college and it’s okay if you do too. Change in the right direction helps you grow as a person and shapes you into whom you are to become.

Find out who you want to be and work towards that person. Embrace the bumps in the road, but don’t lose sight of who you are. It’s okay to let go of the past, but the past has shaped you into who you are today and who you are today is amazing. Just do not lose sight of who you are inside and do not change for people. Only change for you.

5. You learn what it means to trust in God.

I grew up in faith and have always had a relationship with Christ. Making the decision to change universities was a huge leap of faith and tested my trust in God. I was going to Texas Tech knowing very few people, none of which I was close to.

The months following my final decision consisted of me constantly praying to God saying, “I hope you’re right and this is what’s best for me,” because I was not certain of anything. But, once I was settled into my new home, it was abundantly clear that I was meant to be there and nowhere else.