That’s it. That’s the title. 

Let me elaborate. 

I’ve been at Iowa since Sunday, August 18th. It’s been overwhelming. It’s been exciting. It’s been different, uncomfortable, and new. 

Let me elaborate. 

My entire life I’ve been surrounded with familiarity. Nothing has ever been “new” to me. I attended a small Catholic school in the same town and went to the same school for 11 years– three year old preschool to eighth grade. The only thing that’s been “different” to me was transitioning to a small Catholic high school.  Sure, that was crazy, and being a freshman just kind of sucks because nobody likes you. It’s a common theme everywhere.

Familiarity has been very nice. In no way am I complaining. We all love knowing everything about everything. It gives us a secure feeling, in a way that gives us really nothing to worry about. We don’t realize we’ve been surrounded with that until we aren’t.  That familiarity, albeit safe, is also what inspired me to go somewhere new. And, yes, that feeling of not knowing anything, which has given me an overwhelming amount of different emotions, is what I have felt since moving four hours away from Missouri to Iowa for college.  

So for most people, that’s what college is. We go from knowing everything and everyone, to a place we aren’t familiar with. We ask ourselves if it’s socially acceptable to wear a Velcro towel after we shower in a non gender specific hall… We question if an underground tunnel connecting dorms was a scene from a horror film… We find ourselves stuck on the Cambus for 30 minutes–no explanation needed. Suddenly we’re “broke college students.” The student loans, the academically challenging classes, the culture shock (how does one Cambus?), the whole shabang. 

But I’m glad that everything is new and difficult, because “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I don’t know who said that, but they were right. Iowa is my new life. I chose it because of that reason. I didn’t want to go to Mizzou with the people I’ve known my entire life at a place only 30 minutes away from home. It is a challenge that builds character and gives you new experiences. It forces you to make new friends and become accustomed to your surroundings. I have so much to learn. 

A change has been long overdue in my life. 

I’m so ready for it.