I was cold, confused, and a Californian. “If you’re from California, then why’d you choose to come to Maryland?” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked this question, I would almost be able to pay my pricy out of state tuition. When I’m asked this question, my response usually falls along the lines of “because the school is pretty,” or “I wanted a big school that was near a city,” or my personal favorite “because National Treasure Two: Book of Secrets was filmed on campus” (pro-tip: some cute boys do not find that answer funny). The thing is, I am not entirely sure why I chose to attend Maryland. Compared to the majority of people, my college application process was somewhat untraditional. Throughout high school, my spring breaks,
…show more content…
Filled with self-doubt and fear, I felt certain that I had picked the wrong school. In the weeks before college, I became scared to leave my parents, scared to lose my safety net, and scared to break out of the bubble that I lived in. As it was time to say goodbye to my mom, I felt devastated, frightened, and overwhelmed. I attempted to pull my best poker face, but I am positive that my mom knew how scared I truly was. Four months, two rounds of midterms, and countless memories later, I now realize that Maryland is my home. Although I still don’t have a great answer as to why I came here or if it truly is the right school for me, I am exceptionally happy with my decision. Just like any other college student, I have periods where I feel homesick and beg to come home, I suffer through weekends where all I want is to see my parents, and of course I face cravings for In N Out. When these times come around, I realize that I always have my parents and friends to fall back on. At first, I petrified to leave home, my support system, and my acclimation to 70-degree weather; I have come to the realization that coming to Maryland has been a huge step in my personal maturity and independence. I now understand that going to school far away has shown me that my friends are always there to support me, that my parents are just a phone call away, and that when it’s 40 degrees outside a down coat will always keep me
Filled with self-doubt and fear, I felt certain that I had picked the wrong school. In the weeks before college, I became scared to leave my parents, scared to lose my safety net, and scared to break out of the bubble that I lived in. As it was time to say goodbye to my mom, I felt devastated, frightened, and overwhelmed. I attempted to pull my best poker face, but I am positive that my mom knew how scared I truly was. Four months, two rounds of midterms, and countless memories later, I now realize that Maryland is my home. Although I still don’t have a great answer as to why I came here or if it truly is the right school for me, I am exceptionally happy with my decision. Just like any other college student, I have periods where I feel homesick and beg to come home, I suffer through weekends where all I want is to see my parents, and of course I face cravings for In N Out. When these times come around, I realize that I always have my parents and friends to fall back on. At first, I petrified to leave home, my support system, and my acclimation to 70-degree weather; I have come to the realization that coming to Maryland has been a huge step in my personal maturity and independence. I now understand that going to school far away has shown me that my friends are always there to support me, that my parents are just a phone call away, and that when it’s 40 degrees outside a down coat will always keep me