Today I’m going to be focusing on the struggles of being an out-of-state student. Growing up in Connecticut it seemed like everyone was going to UCONN. I wanted something different I wanted to go out and explore the world. I loved traveling and loved meeting new people. As much as I love being at state college, I get homesick. During the fall semester, I went home once a month. I would find “excuses” such as my dad’s birthday, and my cousin’s wedding.
I took a bus that dropped me off in New York and then from there I would either walk or Uber to Grand Central to transfer to the Metro-North train and get off at the station in my hometown. This trip ends up being about 8 hours on average when usually it would be a 4.5-hour car ride. I try not to miss class so I end up going for 3-4 days max, which makes me question if the trip is usually worth it. It always is I love getting to see my family, boyfriend, and friends back home who always recharge my battery. The last week of January was exhausting and I was struggling a lot so I decided to go home for the weekend. Being that most of my support system is at home it is very rewarding.
The last I was home was spring break and I realized that it would be the last time I would have been home till the end of the semester. Of course, I wanted to back for Easter and celebrate with my family but due to class and other conflicts, I won’t be able to go, as well as the fact that I get carsick when on the bus. Although being away from home isn’t awful I do wish it wasn’t so far. My family is a huge part of my life and coming from a big family (I have 5 sisters and 2 brothers for context) I spent a lot of time with them, especially around the holidays. Penn State is a state school and I underestimated how many residents would come here and how most of them know each other already. I would say that the first week of class was the hardest, I tried to put myself out there and it was really hard being an introvert. Although being here I’m able to have a sense of independence and I have learned to enjoy being alone when I’m not with friends. I think that it provided me with a way to learn about myself. Apart from the distance, being out of state I have to pay more in tuition. Being lucky my mom has helped me this year, I also try to contribute by working two jobs during the school year and working in the summer. Of course, I’m always applying for scholarships so that it’s not such a big financial burden.
I have always wondered if going to UCONN would’ve been the right choice for me. The more I think about this the more I realize that it definitely could have been a good choice but I wouldn’t have learned what I would have learned about myself already and I wouldn’t have made the connections I made here.
This was such an interesting post and clearly shows how much you have reflected on your time here and what you have learned. I live in a suburb of Philly and I do go home any weekend someone happens to be driving. However for me it is only 3 hours away so a quick weekend is more feasible. I was getting a bit nauseous reading about your 8 hour trip home but I applaud you for knowing what best for you in the moment and acting accordingly. I have a good friend here at Penn State from Fairfield, Connecticut and rarely gets to go home which I think takes a bit of a toll but luckily her roomate is also out of state so they always have each other. College is a hard time no matter what but having the courage to recognize what you need and make that hard decision to not go to UCONN is so impressive.
Especially with the high costs and long distances, going to a different college than many friends and family members is definitely difficult. Personally, my family has a long legacy at Penn State, so I’m in somewhat of an opposite scenario to you, but I totally understand how separating yourself from traditions like that can be difficult and I hope that it is well worth it for you!
Being far away from home is a huge struggle. Penn State’s proximity to my home is a large factor in why I chose to go here. I can get home if I need to and a lot of my friends from high school go here. The first week was still very hard. I am also an introvert and I found it hard to really branch out other than my friends from high school. Although it seems scary, it all works out in the end. Choosing to go here instead of UCONN was very courageous and hopefully, you are happy with your decision.