Yes, I know. The dreaded topic that nobody wants to think about. Being as we can't avoid it forever, I figured the perfect time to write about it was when I was about 192 miles away from everything I call "home".
Long distance has many different categories: friendship, family, relationship, and many more. Although moving away to start school is something most of us are looking forward to, there's always that little, sad feeling hiding in our brains that makes us think, "What in the world am I doing?" I can only imagine that the best way to get through the homesick periods is by keeping a positive attitude. Don't think about how long it's going to take until you see the person you miss, but rather how soon it's coming. Picture the oh-so-famous "glass" half full, instead of half empty.
My best friend is going to a different university than I am, and I know a lot of you are in the same predicament. Thankfully, her school is only two and a half hours away from mine. We already have plans to attend each other's homecoming weekends; that gives me something to look forward to. Make new friends in your schools, but don't forget about the girl who stayed up with you all night when you didn't feel well, or the girl who sent you homework because you were too busy watching a Grey's Anatomy marathon. FaceTime as much as possible, and visit as much as possible. If she stuck through all of high school's ups and downs, she's a keeper.
Family is the weird one. Many of us go away to school to try to get away from our crazy family life for a while. Thankfully, that's not my issue. Try and take your moms' daily phone calls as a good thing. Call your dads because they'll probably forget to call more than once a week. They're dads. They do things like that and don't even notice. When your grandparents call, don't ignore it. You know they're going to go on and on about how much they miss you (even on your second day of class), but embrace it. And lastly, don't get annoyed when your siblings text you that they miss you, because face it- as much as you say you hate them in the middle of a pointless fight, deep down you love them... a little.
This last category will be from a different point of view, considering I don't have a boyfriend to write about. My three best friends all have boyfriends though, so I can treat this like advice I've given them. First off, don't hold back on any experiences YOU want to do because of someone else back at home. Keep them close in your heart and make wise decisions. Ultimately, what's meant to be, will be. Keep a tiny memoir of them in your purse, or you can "man-crush" it and put a picture of them as your wallpaper. And make sure to make space on the small dorm room desks for their oh-so-handsome high school picture.
All the people who mean the most to you will be with you throughout college, whether they're next door or a couple hundred miles away. They'll guide you and help you just as they have before, but in a different way. All of your relationships- be it a friendship, family, or a significant other- will mature throughout this long distance journey. Take it as a blessing in disguise; if you can make it through this, you can make it through much more. Enjoy the ride and remember to always keep a positive attitude, even on a cloudy day.
NG
Picture by Nicki Guerra
Treasure Cay, Bahamian Islands
No comments:
Post a Comment