When I was 16 years old and applying to colleges, none of the schools I applied to were closer than six hours from where I lived. I had known from the very beginning that I had no interest in being close to home in New Hampshire. I didn’t want to go to school with anyone I’d known previously and I wanted to go somewhere new. I was itching for a change of scenery and daily life, along with new people to meet and create relationships with. I was lucky enough to have a mother who was willing to take me to all different states to tour universities. When I toured Michigan State University, I knew it was within my top three picks. When I got accepted, I committed – but being 13 hours from home was an entirely new situation for me. And sometimes it’s hard – definitely stressful. Sometimes the reality of it is harsher than I’d imagined.
My very first day here, Friday of move-in weekend, was my first taste of East Lansing. We’d come early to check in and spent the day moving all of my stuff in, grocery shopping, and eventually saying goodbye. It was rough. I spent the entire night crying. And then the following morning as well. This happens sometimes. It feels like a large piece of me is so far away. If I have a bad day or a stressful week, sometimes I want to come home to the warm embrace of my parents for a weekend. I want to see my kitty and sleep in my own bed. It creates this hole in my chest that I’m unable to fill until I can come home again. However, with the relationships I’ve formed and the routines I’ve created, it’s not too noticeable most of the time, which I’m grateful for. As a sophomore now, I’ve found my own ways to mostly manage it. It feels easier the more I continue to settle in.
Traveling to and from New Hampshire is an art I’ve come close to mastering. My traveling days are scheduled as follows, beginning with my Uber to a hotel about 10 minutes away. There, I get on the bus that takes me to and from the airport, which is a two hour ride. At the airport, I check my bag and go through security. Then, I find my gate and wait. My flight leaves and I eventually land, usually in Charlotte, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C. I find my next gate (sometimes in a full sprint if I have short layovers, which, by the way, is the absolute worst feeling in the world.) I board my second flight and land in Manchester, New Hampshire, usually around midnight. My dad picks me up, and I’m home and in bed by around 1 a.m. If you’ve ever been to the airport, then you’re highly aware of the very long list of things that can go wrong; Not to mention, I’m doing all of it by myself at the busiest times of the year.
I’m forced to rely on the kindness of others. When I’m so far from my home and my parents, sometimes there are situations where the kindness of others is all I have. During my second ever week at MSU, I tested positive for COVID-19. I’d never had it before, and it took me out. I was unbelievably sick and for a while, there were no signs it was going away anytime soon. A random student’s mother brought me some homemade soup after my mom made a Facebook post asking about MSU COVID protocols. During parents’ weekend of the same semester, my friend’s mom took me out to dinner with them because I was feeling down. For fall break, I went with my friends to Chicago because it was too expensive (and fairly unreasonable) to go home for such a short amount of time. After the events of February 13, 2023 and the horrific shooting that took place on our campus, my friends’ families offered me a place to stay for a few days and gave me a bed, home cooked meals, and a few pairs of open arms. Even now, my roommate’s thoughtful and kind family always offers to bring me anything I could need or store anything I don’t. These selfless acts from those around me has proven that humanity has not lost its sense of empathy and compassion. These acts also make me appreciate the very special people I’ve met here. It’s another reality check for me in regards to being away from home, but it just extends the love I have for the people I’ve met here a little farther every time.
I’ve met so many wonderful new people. I’ve created so many new relationships and learned about so many new backgrounds. Forming friendships is such a beautiful thing when you really look at it. In both of my years so far at MSU, I’ve been lucky enough to have remarkable roommates. My freshman year, I went in blind. My roommate turned out to be one of my (now) lifelong friends. We had our separate classes and extracurriculars, as well as a few separate friends. But, at the end of the night, we always came home to each other and had each other. We had what we called “our little cave,” our dorm room, where it was just the two of us. This year, my roommate, a friend I made the previous year, and I have girls night every night. We call our room our “Barbie Dream House,” and we don’t allow Mojo Dojo Casa House energy. We’re even in MSU’s Her Campus chapter together! This is a new reality that I’ve come to love and deeply cherish.
I haven’t been at Michigan State for very long – only three semesters – but it’s been an entirely new experience for me. Some good things, some maybe not so good. I’m beginning to learn more about who I am as a person while learning about all of these new people and routines. I’ll take the good over the not so good. It’s hard being away, but it makes it so much more special when I get to come home. I appreciate it so much more. I don’t regret my decision to go to school out of state. I’ve seen so much and done so much new stuff that it’s impossible to regret it. It’s a win-win for me.