I grew up in a relatively small town, where everyone knew everyone, and the second I did something the entire population would know about it- kind of like the time that I hydroplaned my car into a corn field. I can still remember it like it was yesterday; the car spun out of control and it felt like it had a mind of its own. My tires could not grasp the gravel road that I was traveling on, and next thing I knew I was deep into the ditch and partially in the corn field. That was probably one of the most "Indiana" type accidents that even I know of; my little teal Mustang was still spitting out corn husks a year later. Moving away from home, 17 hours at that, was one of the scariest, nerve wracking, but rewarding experiences of my life thus far.

I believe that, with time, moving away from where I grew up, the further the distance, the more I'll grow as a person.

Being a small town, Indiana girl in a great, big, new city took a lot of adjustment. In fact, 8 weeks later, I'm still adjusting and learning about myself. I learned that I'm really not good at living with other people, that scheduling out time to do my laundry is harder than I first thought, and that eating healthy while still being a picky eater is even harder in college. I know that taking a flight back home by myself is not as scary if I am friendly to the people I sit next to. I also can say now that making friends is easier than in high school, yet also can be harder at times. I learned that being a good friend takes work and that even if we fight like sisters, we might not always make up like sisters.

I am aware that boys do change into men, and not every guy is like the last. I learned that a smile can change someone’s entire day, and that being a socially excellent person has more to do than just generosity, curiosity, and vulnerability. That it takes hard work and putting myself out there. That I need to understand and listen to others more. I learned that being a leader is more than just what is on paper, and that I have to let go of myself and my wants to better the lives of others. I learned that making time for myself is hard, but making time for others is not. And that, that right there, is me knowing that I have to work on myself more.

I learned that sorority life is not what the movies picture it to be. We are not bimbo blondes that party and hookup with a different fraternity boy every night. My sisters taught me love, compassion, strength, courage, and most importantly- they taught me that family is not just the people I am genetically related to. Family is holding me during one of my panic attacks, checking up on me to make sure I arrived home safely, going on mini dates to the hospital, and taking me to a burger place even when she is a vegetarian. Being in a sorority means that I will have someone to pick me up from the airport at 11 o’clock at night because I am afraid to get an Uber driver that is creepy, it means that at any hour of the day or night I will have a shoulder to cry on, another empty stomach that wants BurgerFi, a study buddy, a friend, a mom, a dad, and most importantly: someone I can always count on to have my back through the thick and the thin. I never expected to learn so much from these 52 other girls, but I am glad that I chose Sigma Delta Tau.

I learned that college is not what everyone tells me it is because college is what I make of it. These are the four years I can make my own. These are the four years I can decide on who I really am in this crazy, messed up world.

I believe that moving away from my hometown is the best decision an 18-year-old could make, because it follows many rewarding and unforgettable choices to come.