Going Away for College? It's Okay to Be Emotional.
9:00 AM
Leaving your family and moving away for college is naturally an emotional event. No matter what experiences or opportunities you have ever embarked upon, going away for college is an entirely new ballgame. I can attest to that. Leaving to go to Iowa State was a sad ordeal for me, despite having flown across the U.S. to California when I was only 15 and flowing across the world to Germany at 17. I felt like I could not feel sad or nervous or anxious because I have already experienced so much! But honestly - every experience is a new and different experience, and it is okay to feel emotional during each one.
There is no right or wrong way to feel. Personally, I hate feeling emotions, and I try to keep them to myself until I can no longer do so. However, preparing to leave for college taught me or simply reaffirmed many lessons: 1) crying is honestly good for the soul; it's freeing, 2) missing your friends, family, and hometown is warranted; you are leaving people and places that you know and are completely at ease with to go to a new place and meet new people, and 3) feeling emotional does not mean that you have any regrets or are afraid; it can just mean that you are a normal person who has feelings, but is nevertheless excited for the future.
It has taken me a bit of time to come to terms with moving away from Michigan and my family; however, I have no regrets for choosing a college out-of-state. I love Iowa State University, and I am excited for all of the possibilities that I have here! You, too, should not have any regrets. Growing up and moving away (even if it's only an hour from home) is a big deal and a stepping stone in life. No prior experience that you may have had (studying abroad or going to camp or going on vacation without your family) should stop you from feeling the way that you do. If you do not feel sad or anxious or nervous, great! If you do, great! Nobody is the same. We all experience and come to conclusions differently.
But I want to let you know that it's okay. Cry, smile, laugh, rant. Do you.
I'm a twenty-something from the Midwest, who's passionate about justice, travel and everything creative. Welcome to my little space on the Internet, which I've shared my thoughts on since 2016.
1 comments
I am so happy of new start!
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