Going Away To School Can Be Nerve Racking

Although it's been over 15 years since I first went away to school back in the day in the mid 1990s, I still remember it just like it was yesterday. It was my first time going away from home. I was only 19 years old, and I barely even knew how to write out a check, or even use a credit card. The night before I left for school, I stayed up all night watching movies and television, because I was so nervous I could barely catch a wink of sleep.The whole week leading up to this, I was so worried about everything, from what I was going to do at school, to the clothes that I had bought. I wanted to make a good impression on the people I was about to meet, and I thought the best way for me to accomplish this was to have fancy and stylish clothes.

Once I got to school, I met all of my roommates, and while they seemed nice, I was still extremely nervous. My dad and I went to get some supplies, and I started to relax a little bit, but whenever we got back to the dorm, my nerves kicked up again. The next morning when my dad left, I was so upset, that I could not even eat a bite of my breakfast. It literally took me almost a week before I could eat anything, and I was walking around with knots in my stomach the entire time. It took me about a month to finally become comfortable with everything. Ane of the most important things I learned from the entire experience, was that it didn't matter how I dressed and what things I owned, but what was more important was my personality and the way that I treated people.

Going away to school is a real eye opener, and I feel it can be an extremely big step into adulthood. I know that I learned so many things while I was away at school, that helped me become a more independent person. Anyone who is planning on going away to school for the first time, will have to accept that they are going to be nervous, as this is only a natural thing, and something that you can't control. However, you will discover just as I did, that in the end, people will accept you for who you are, as long as you treat them well and are willing to be social.


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William offers recommendations for wary travelers on his website. His latest post looks at the unique benefits of using backpacks with wheels.