<p>I have been full blown UCF since I was in 7th grade. Being accepted was one of the greatest things that have happened to me. I have been down there plenty of times. Florida is my state! I tell people that's where I'm going, everytime they ask. I am from PA, so I will be OOS. I was recently accepted into Penn State, my Dad's alma mater. He had intentions of me going there, but I took him to the open house, and he was so proud and really liked the campus. So here's the problem. Every day, I still believe and tell myself I will attend UCF. I just don't want to make any mistakes. I am SO scared that I will regret moving so far away. That's literally the only thing that worries me, the distance. I guess it's just the whole moving out, starting a life on my own, thing. I think every one, in state and out of state, knows what I mean. Everything will be different, no matter what. I just want to be 110% sure that I am making the responsible and right decision.</p>
<p>I'm sorry I just ranted about my emotions, but anything reassuring will deffinitely help me calm my nerves. Moving on is beginning to make me panic and stress, especially since time is going so quickly! I feel like I'll be moving in tomorrow! If you have been through this, or are going to go through this and feel the same way, I think we can help each other through the decision making, and help with the comfort levels.</p>
<p>(To all that have been extremely bored because of this, I'm sorry I'm not sorry. These are my feelings. I'd help you if you needed it.)</p>
<p>Theres no need to apologize, im sure that every kid feels this way when they are planning on leaving the state and going so far away, but you need to remember that this is the school that you’ve wanted to go to since you were in 7th grade, thats a big deal. You can always go back to Pennsylvania for vacations! Don’t let the stress get to you, if you have the opportunity to make your dream happen, take it.</p>
<p>I feel the same way:( I mean, I adore UCF, and know how wonderful and perfect of a fit it is for me. However…I’ve been considering all the stress and obstacles we’ll have to face, especially being out of state, and it’s a rude awakening to me. I know I will be okay down there. Get a job, open a bank account down there, etc. Still, it’s an intimidating thought. Surely being closer to home would make the college experience easier, right? Then I rememberd: When is life ever easy? Hardly ever, at all. The way I thought of it, is this. If I don’t get out of Illinois, and go to UCF, and escape this town…I know I never will.</p>
<p>Thats a good point write! Plus staying close may be the easy way, but it’s probably also the less fun way, if you go away you’ll get the whole experience</p>
<p>I know, and I keep telling myself nothing is ever permanent. If I hate UCF, I can always transfer and crawl back home for school. It’s just such a big thing in my life. And as much as I’m independent, there are is always that unconcious dependence on my parents…</p>
<p>And why do you feel that way about Penn State, ProblemOfChoice?</p>
<p>Thanks, Grayor. That’s how it is, though. My uncle when from living in new york, and attending a college in Wisconsin. He said, at first, it’s difficult. Then, when you comes home on holidays, it hits you. You’ve grown so much as an individual, just by going out of state, and all your friends who stayed in state are the same old kids, talking to the same old people, living the same old life. He highly recommend that, if given the chance, everyone should go out of state. It makes you so much more independent, and when it comes to after college, leaving to a different state seems easy-you’ve been there, done that. I just strive to start over, with new people, a fresh life, where no one can table me based on my past…because they don’t know it.</p>
<p>That’s what I crave the most, too. A fresh start. The people from around where I’m from, don’t work for anything. Most of them wish they had the opportunity I have right now. And I feel like i’d let myself down if I don’t take it. It’s life changing, that I know for sure, but change isn’t always a bad thing. With new experience, comes growth. And with every obstacle, comes strength. I need independence, and this might be the only way to get it.</p>
<p>Also, if you didn’t take this opportunity, if I MYSELF didn’t take it, it would be awful. Because life would move on, the pages would turn, and I wouldn’t beagle to lock that one thought, hidden away, in the back of my head. It would be stained there, forever imprinted: What if?</p>
<p>And I hate wondering ‘what if’ because it makes me feel as though I haven’t experienced everything I could have; Like I haven’t seen my full potential.</p>
<p>For a long time, I had been at a point in my life, to be bluntly honest, where I thought I didn’t deserve happiness. That I didn’t deserve such opportunities, and didn’t deserve any positive thing, for that matter. Recently, though, I’m breaking out of the mind set, and forgetting the past that caused those thoughts. I DO deserves happiness-UCF is my step towards that. </p>
<p>I’m not interested in any schools here. I have never been a part of the whole Penn State thing. I mean I’m still going on a visit and everything, I just feel like nothing will change my mind. (And now that whole scandal thing, PSU is lowering all of their admissions standards and skyrocketing tuition to make up for the lowest expected enrollment.) I feel that if I went to school close by, I will use it as an excuse to go home. I will still depend on everyone else, because the people in my life would do anything to help me. And for that, I’m truly blessed. But, in all reality, moving away is the only way things are going to change. And, why not go somewhere where there are opportunities. My parent’s are also discussing moving south in a few years. If I’m already grounded with a job, it will be perfect because then I’ll have everything. Say is I’m in PA for school and a job, it will be the whole distance thing all over again. As write said, the majority of people that stay here, never leave. And as far as oppportunities that are away from here, I know of one person that got lucky. She got a job in California. And she wouldn’t trade moving away for anything. I just feel that staying here is going to be something I will end up regretting.</p>
<p>I can’t really say I understand where either of you are coming from. Maybe it’s just because UCF is closer to my equivalent of your Penn State. I mean if UCF was located in Pennsylvania or Illinois I wouldn’t even consider it.</p>
<p>That’s probably it. Haha. Like I said, distance is the only thing that worries me. Everything will be different. But then again, even if I went to Penn State, even though I’m only about 2 hours away, I wouldn’t have a car. I would only really come home for the holidays anyway. I don’t know. I mean, I have time. It’s just going so quickly.</p>
<p>I hate all the schools here, too. The only two that are really worth while are Northwestern University, and University of Chicago-You don’t have to live in Illinois to know how difficult it is to get into those schools (as well as expensive). This is my chance to be the girl that actually gets out of Illinois. My friends are angry with me, because they don’t want me leaving. I like my friends, but to be honest…I’ve never really felt tied down to this place. The people here are so shallow, so unfriendly. It’s nothing like me, and nothing I want to be surrounded by. These kids stay here, and attend a college one hour away, and come home every weekend. That’s just not the college experience to me. Besides, why would I pay $10,000 dollars to attend a tier four school, rather then go to UCF, tuition covered? I’d be an idiot. The whole family situation won’t be too difficult for me. I haven’t had a true family in years, and I can’t wait to escape my mother, and the hell she’s put me through. In a lot of ways…UCF is my safe place.</p>
<p>^ That makes sense. Especially if you want to get away from your fam and have tuition covered. Just one thing though…Don’t expect Florida to be any better with the shallowness. Florida is a weird ass state. There’s just something wrong with A LOT of people here. We definitely have more than our fair share of crazies.</p>
<p>There’s crazies EVERYWHERE, lol. However, I can say with honesty (From what I remember of Florida, when I lived there) chicago people are, well…screwed up. Immensely. My biggest thing is getting away from this hell I’ve been through most of my life. I love my father, I’d miss my sister. We have yet to find out my twin brothers fate…but I just can no longer deal with the life my mom has developed for me. It’s the deepest cycle of hell, no matter what anyone says. I need to be free from her.</p>