Back when I was applying for college in the fall, my friends always questioned why I wanted to go out of state for college and not stay in Georgia. When applying for schools out of state, you have to worry how you’re going to pay for the out of state fees and etc., but for me, I applied out of state because I love exploring new places. Don’t get me wrong I love Georgia, but after living here for the past 18 years of my life, I’m ready for change. I’m ready to meet new people. I’m ready to be in a new place and explore my new home, Knoxville. I also think I chose to go out of state for college because it would allow me to learn. Don’t get me wrong, being close to home is nice and helpful when situations happen and you really need to talk with your parents about it, but being away from home helps you realize that you have to trust your gut and do what you think is right. You can watch numerous amounts of college advice videos on YouTube, but at the end of the day, you know what’s best for yourself. So if you’re about to apply for college in the coming fall, and you’re worried if you’ll be able to handle it, just rememberto believe in yourself. I know how that feeling was and I’m so excited for my freshman year at UTK and the many experiences I will be facing soon.

-HA