<p>I might be going to college in Seattle this fall. I live in SoCA and I have never been out of my own community. (Mostly everyone I know is Hispanic, including me). Can anyone share their experience? Was it fun, exciting being somewhere else? What are some good things and bad things? I'm Just anxious because I am actually going see new things! (hopefully)</p>
<p>I’m from Seattle and go to school in Alabama. I love my school and feel that I made the right decision to live 2000+ miles away from home. It is exciting to be able to live in a new place where things are different from what your used to. Apart from some regional differences (some foods, accents, ethnic makeup of population, etc.), things aren’t that different. As for bad things, it really depends on the person. It can be annoying not being able to go home for short breaks or having to spend all day traveling with a cold, but you learn to adapt. </p>
<p>While Seattle may not have as big a Hispanic population as SoCal, be assured that the Hispanic community is pretty big (mainly of Mexican descent, IIRC). There are many businesses in the area that cater to the Hispanic community. In fact, it’s one of the things I miss.</p>
<p>I view college as a time to expand ones worldview and living far away from home makes things easier, IHMO. With cell phones and/or Skype, along with the flat rate priority mail boxes that parents can send you little treats in, it is really easy to feel in touch with home even though you are far away. Oddly enough, I end up meeting a lot of Californians where I am because we have a lot in common.<br>
Best of luck in your college career,
-SEA_tide
PS If you like to fly, going to school far away gives you a good reason to do so.</p>
<p>That’s good Seattle has a Hispanic community because I’m not used to anything else. But it will be fun to meet new people.
How is Seattle? Since you are from there.
But wow Alabama seems like a HUGE difference lol. Seattle doesn’t seem that diff from CA</p>
<p>Oh and I have never been on a plane! I’m actually very scared of flying but I’ll probably get used to it and I don’t really know since I’ve never experienced it.</p>
<p>i was scared to get on a plane at first, but i mean its alright, just dont fly when its raining or something</p>
<p>^ its fine to fly when its raining/snowing what have you. Airlines know when its not safe. Hell, their safer then driving in a car.</p>
<p>I’ve flown many times, and its always been safe 
don’t sweat it.</p>
<p>I only am about 60 miles from home, but i don’t drive so it seems farther then it actually is :P</p>
<p>i still wouldnt fly in rain unless it was light rain</p>
<p>I go to school in NorCal and I’m from SoCal…it’s about 420 miles. ~8 hours driving with decent traffic.</p>
<p>It’s really not that bad…pretty much no one has a set group of friends in college, unless you go to one of those schools that gets most of its students from one high school. And you’ll be living in a dorm(?), so you’ll have ample opportunity to make friends there.</p>
<p>I’m from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in Texas and go to school in Nashville, which is about 11 hours in a car. I do get homesick every once in awhile, and jealous of my high school friends who can go home for the weekend or have their parents visit them, but I couldn’t give up the amazing opportunity of the school I go to, and 90% of the time, I don’t really notice the distance.</p>
<p>I’m from Olympia Washington and plan on going to either West Virginia University or U of Wyoming. Quite a ways a way. Luckily for me, homesickness never gets to me, especially at two beautiful schools like those.</p>
<p>I’m from New England and I go to school in the South. The locations are very different but I was basically involved only in campus life at first so it was fun to be around all the students my age. I was a bit homesick initially and I was jealous of the kids who could just drive home for dinner when they felt like it. Going to school far away really taught me to be independent and self-sufficient. I’ve actually grown to love the area, and everyone is actually so much nicer in the South than in NE…</p>
<p>I am also from SoCal (San Diego area) and going to school in Seattle (UW). I don’t know if you know much about SD but Seattle is 1000000 times better in my opinion. I love it here. While there are not near as many hispanics here as in southern California, it’s still a sizable population. if you’re like me, you have never knew an asian in your entire life, coming from the at times uncosmopolitan culture in SoCal. well believe me, that will change once you come to Seattle.</p>
<p>Seattle is different from San Diego but it’s better for me and may be for you too.</p>
<p>edit: however it occurs to me now that you’ve never been on a plane before, so it may be a bigger adjustment to someone like you who hasn’t traveled much if at all before.</p>
<p>I’m from New England and go to school in Chicago. I grew up in a city, so the vibe isn’t all that different, but there are many more people from the midwest than the East coast here. A lot of them have presumptions about people from the East coast, but on the whole most people here are nice. The biggest thing is the travel, and the fact that I only get to go home about twice a year. Its nice being independent, but sometimes I wish I could just go home for a weekend and see my friends. Not being able to go home for Thanksgiving sucks, but if you make friends with people in the area you may be able to go home with them.</p>
<p>I thought there were tons of asians in SoCal?</p>
<p>^not where I came from (the town according to wiki has .21% asian population).</p>
<p>There are like 2 maybe 3 asians in my school. About 4 white people and 3 African Americans. lol So yeah…It will be different when that situation changes. I am so excited! I got into state schools but CA is old to me all ready, or at least my area.</p>
<p>I really can’t wait to be out of state for the first time. :D</p>
<p>Wow. Well, i think it would be best if you were to invest in a map of some sort. :)</p>
<p>Also don’t sweat about the airplanes… really, the pilots know what their doing.</p>
<p>Positive of going to college far away from home:</p>
<p>FREQUENT FLIER MILES!!!</p>
<p>Get to the 10 million club like George Clooney</p>
<p>Exactly. Elite status is where it’s at.
Truthfully, LAX-Seattle is 955 miles each way. You’ll earn miles but it will take awhile to get a free ticket. You’re saying that you’ve never left California before?</p>
<p>I moved to an entirely different continent for university. ;)</p>
<p>I’m from Indiana, but moved to Scotland for university. I love it here!</p>