The word "change" seems to have a negative connotation. Many fear it, others despise it and for the most part, people seem to reject the idea. Realistically though, there's no need to feel threatened by it. Change can be a good thing, and here's why.

For a long time, I was scared of change. The summer after my senior year of high school, I was terrified by the prospect of moving to a completely new city full of strangers. I even considered attending community college for a few years just so I could live at home and continue my normal, familiar routine. I did NOT want to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and was terrified of being in a new environment all by myself.

But as it turned out, the transition from living at home to moving into a dorm at U of I wasn’t the horrible experience I had expected. In fact, I ended up loving my new lifestyle almost immediately. My fears dissipated as I met tons of new people, experienced new-found freedom, and learned to take care of myself completely on my own. I had never been happier.

Yet, when I returned home on my first break, more confident and upbeat than ever, some of my old friends weren't so thrilled. I still remember getting into an argument with one of my friends and hearing her say, with disgust and disappointment in her voice, “You’ve changed.”

At the time, I was upset and insisted that I was still the same person that they knew and loved, frightened by the accusation of being any different. However, looking back now, I realize that I shouldn't have been distraught, vehemently denying the obvious. I had changed and it was for the better. Yes, maybe I was a different person from who I was before I started college, but why was that a bad thing?

If you are happy and growing as an individual, no one should tell you that your journey is wrong. If they do, it's probably because they're afraid of change themselves, but they shouldn't be. Without change, we would never meet new people, experience unfamiliar places or find out what we're capable of. If I had let my fear of change get the best of me and never went away for college, I would've never met some of my best friends, had some of the best moments of my life and discovered who I was. Perhaps it can be a little daunting at first, but in the long run, you'll find yourself more competent, knowledgeable and potentially happier than before.

Looking back, you'll regret the opportunities that you missed simply because you were afraid of something new. So don't hate change; embrace it. Life is all about growing and evolving.