<p>I live in TX, and I have been looking at colleges, and so far I have been accepted to a few community colleges and low ranked schools here in TX. However, I was accepted into the WP Carey school of business at Arizona State. I would like to go there. However, there is NOTHING in Arizona that I can find a sense of home in. No family, no friends, never been there (until I visit the campus), anything. </p>
<p>What I want to know is... How many of you have moved away from everything you call home to start a new life and go to school? And how do you feel about it?</p>
<p>I like the idea of going to school and stuff, just the thought of being alone makes me nervous lol.</p>
<p>Also, I have been told I shouldn't let my best friends influence where I go to school, just because they are going there. However, I feel like I need to for some reason haha.</p>
<p>Well my school is 5 hours away from home so...I wasn't totally in your position but there are plenty of out-of-staters that are on every campus. My best friend here lives 12 hours away. Just be real sociable from the start and it will be totally fine. Just make sure youre ready to commit to living far away from home. Some people get real homesick real quick and then transfer out, so make sure that you are willing to go through with it. Good luck.</p>
<p>When I started college I moved 400 miles from San Francisco to LA. I didn't know anyone in LA, didn't know the city at all, and was basically moving to a completely new area completely by myself. And even though they're in the same state, it's still not exactly convenient to go home and I don't go back that often. I'll tell you right away that I was incredibly scared. I loved the school when I visited, though, and never thought twice about coming here. </p>
<p>Now I'm in my second quarter here and I love it. It's starting to feel like a second home. I talk to my closest friends about 3-4 times a week over AIM or Skype, and to my parents once day. As for going back, I went back twice during fall quarter, but won't go back at all during winter quarter. Don't let your best friends influence where you go. If they really are your best friends, nothing will change. When I spent three weeks home during winter, I felt as if nothing changed between my friends and me. Two of them actually visited me here this past weekend and it was great.</p>
<p>I hear that ASU is a great school and has an awesome social life, so you'll probably be having a lot of fun there and will be too busy to even think of missing home. Good luck with whatever choice you make!</p>
<p>It's a mixed bag for me. I went to college clear across the country. Even though I have new friends here in college, it can be lonely. The strange part is that it's even lonely back home. It seems like people have difficulty making time for one another. People go their separate ways and change (sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse). You'll still get along with those who were your best friends... luckily, those friendships will always be there. And you'll develop your own circle in college. It's a natural filter, really. Your true friends will always keep in touch. When it comes to college, make the best decision for yourself. Don't go to college based on where others are going.</p>
<p>I'm glad I went to school on the other side of the country. It's been a good experience to do something different and be on my own. It's college, it's easy to make friends, everyone is in the same position. Going to school without your friends forces you to meet new people, try new things, etc. You'll still be able to maintain high school friendships, go home for vacations, and have friends come visit you at school.</p>
<p>I went 800 or so miles away to Boston College. It was tough the first couple of months, but so worth it. A sense of fearlessness has been instilled in me. I just love going out and trying new things. I find myself taking treks to random cities by myself just because I like to explore.</p>
<p>I don't think I would've been afforded this opportunity if I stayed local. All of my HS friends who stayed behind aren't really doing anything other than getting married, living at home and having kids (in that order).</p>
<p>Plus, as an added bonus, I appreciate the time I spend to visit my family. I only do so about once a year but I always enjoy my time there. I wouldn't have loved it so much if I had to see my family every other weekend. Visits are more meaningful now.</p>
<p>I agree with the post above. I can only get home on breaks, and I really appreciate the time I spend with my family and friends back home. When I was younger I took for granted the place I grew up my whole life, saying that I wanted to get out there, never come back, etc. But when you are away from home for so long it puts things in perspective. It definitely is a growing experience to live far away.</p>
<p>I went to college about a 2 and a half hour plane ride (plus one hour to get to the airport) away from home. i knew one other person going to the school, but we weren't good friends or anything. I have had times where i wish i could go home, but they are very sparse (mostly just when my friends who live around here randomly decide to go home for the weekend, but they only do it once or twice a semester) overall though, none of us really go home except for over break, so it doesn't matter how far away we live, except for annoying transportation to get home. </p>
<p>You should go for it now. you don't want to wait until your older and getting a job to finally see somewhere thats not familiar to you. and making friends in college is really easy. you'll be fine.</p>
<p>After moving 300 miles away to college I realized most of my friends in high school sucked! A few years ago I bumped into one of them while out shopping. He invited me to hang out with a bunch of them for a party they were having that night. Turns out most of them wound up being burnouts and/or still live in their parents' basement doing the same job they had while in HS.</p>
<p>I'm a soph in high school, and I really can't wait to get out of here (nebraska). I only really have 2 close friends (one is moving away in Feb to Alabama, and the other is my best friend.) We've known each other for 8 years. I want to go to UMich @ Ann Arbor, and that's quite a ways from Neb. I know I will miss my best friend tremendously, but I refuse to let my friends dictate where I go.</p>
<p>I'm betting that 95% of my class will either go to small colleges around here (stay instate) and will then stay around and not spread far from the nest. All the farm kids will take over the family business, others (the ones that don't care, don't pass any classes) will probably still be flipping burgers in 10 years. The other 5% in my class (including myself) will be going out of state. There's a girl in my class who wants to go to California and major in interior design, I want to major in architecture at UMich, and there's a couple others that have aspirations of going a long ways from home.</p>
<p>I'm sure on freshmen move-in day, there will be lots of other frosh in the same situation as you: scared, away from home, etc. And just being polite and outgoing will probably net you some friends. Saying "hey what's up" or inviting them into your dorm room will probably spark a friendship that will last you all of your college career.</p>
<p>Don't let it overwhelm you if you are going there. It may not be what you were expecting, good or bad, but you need to stay strong! Try to join clubs, that usually will make things easier.</p>
<p>Worse case scenario, you move far away for school, you don't like it, and you can always go back home and transfer to another school that's closer.</p>
<p>You will love ASU! It's so beautiful, the whole Phoenix area is as well, Scottsdale.... Tempe..... you'll fit right in, I don't know what part of Texas you live in but its similar to Houston I assume.</p>
<p>I myself want to move over 2,000 miles away just to be with someone who I care deeply for. My agreement with my parents is that I will stay in the state that I currently live in for the first two years of my college years. They want me to do this so that I may receive help from them if I need anything (in case of emergency or if my car breaks down, ext. ) and to also get used to living on my own. The college I was looking at was University of Southern Maine. It is far enough from home for me to experience being on my own but also close enough to my sister and several family friends. For complicated reasons I probably wont be going to that school, but anyway, back to the subject. The person I want to be with will most likely be attending college in British Columbia or Alberta. Not only are those places far away but they are out- of- country as well.</p>
<p>I know I may sound silly but once those two years are up I am willing to try and move that far away from home, which is pretty far. Id have my boy I like, his family, and his amazing friend (who I am also friends with ) to get me started. But there is definitly the opportunity to meet new friends and I would certainly keep in contact with my family as well.</p>
<p>Like the person from Nebraska I am also growing up in a small town where the world revolves around petty crimes, drugs, and other such things. Most of the people in my class will stay here and continue with their small jobs, torturing animals, and living their foolish ways. But A few of us who actually try to make something of ourselves plan on getting out.</p>
<p>Good luck to you, you can do it! Do whatever you think is best for yourself. If your best friends truly are your best friends then they will understand! It may be hard for them at first but they will get used to it :D</p>
I left the state of Michigan to attend The University of Iowa. Before moving in I never visited the city or anything. Everyone I know would remind me that I know absolutely no one and that I have no family out there. Despite that I decided to attend Iowa anyway. Within my first semester I did not gain a sense of home at Iowa, but now I have started ( second semester of freshmen year) and have notice the longer I am there ( currently on spring break) the more I become connected to the area. I am even more excited for next year knowing that I will be living in a apartment and will work over the summer so I can purchase a car ( apartment have underground parking) to travel between Iowa and Michigan.
Overall it definately takes time to adjust in being out on your own, though it is a great opportunity. I am sure if you attend Arizona State University the longer your there the more you would want to stay. Plus ASU is in Phoenix, so not only do you have the campus community but also the entire city of Phoenix to connect to.
Also as others said do not let your friends from high school decided for you where to go. Since I went to school out of state I rarely talk to any of my high school friends, and the ones I knew the most we do not talk at all. Also the students that are near each other I am not even sure if they still associate.</p>