Sometimes, whenever a senior (or even a junior for that matter) expresses their desperation to get out of Virginia and away from home as soon as possible, you’d think that they’ve been living in a cupboard under the stairs for their entire life. As colleges have sent out their acceptance letters over the span of these past few months, one of the concerns that people have is the distance. There’s something strange about that desperation to escape Virginia.
It’s true that the Northern Virginia area has a tendency to fall into subzero temperatures, and we’re often met with inadequate Maryland drivers, but these shouldn’t cause students to be steered away from their own home. And with the prospect of college in front of them, several seniors find themselves looking into colleges outside of Virginia for the sake of finding their next big adventure. In the end, however, should distance be the determining factor for where life after high school should begin?
The whole mindset of “expanding your horizons” is completely valid. Sadly, we don’t live in a whimsical world where this can be done in a heartbeat. When looking at college, it’s fair to want to go to a college that offers programs that are interesting with an overall fantastic curriculum, but to choose a college based entirely on location can be risky, and it won’t necessarily land you on top.
With college being dauntingly expensive as is, out-of-state tuition just adds onto the hassle. With only minimal skills when it comes to cooking and cleaning, dorm life could possibly feel like the opposite of freedom – especially when you can’t reach your mom’s home cooked food in the middle of finals week. And while it’s nice to believe that life once you get into your far away college will be as picturesque as the brochures, you can never be completely certain.
College is a four-year experience. It’s brief; it’s evanescent. Within that experience, the goal is to make it beneficial, yet fun. Distance is in no way the only determining factor that will lead to fun. So if you’re sulking over the fact that you have no choice but to attend an in-state college, take a step back and see what your college has to offer as far as “adventure” is concerned. In the end, the place doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do there, the people you meet and how you make that place your own.