College is a time of exploration. However, fondness of the past sometimes clouds one’s ability to see the plethora of opportunities available. People usually have a hard time letting go of something they love.

Granted, letting go of what you love most is far from easy. Anyone who attends school hours away from home has an idea of this dilemma. During the beginning of the semester, I often grappled with my desire to return home.

Connecticut was far from a perfect place, but being away from the constitution state made it appear practically like heaven. Any flaws present were blinded by a newfound infatuation for familiarity. Leading up to spring break, Connecticut possessed everything an angsty, home-stricken college student desired.

A loving family, old friends, no meal plan woes and places of glory and privacy. However, it lacked an essential element: an unfinished story. Familiarity may equal comfort, but it doesn’t equal adventure. Places of glory, for example, barely have anything new to add to the story of an individual’s life.

The old sense of excitement, intrigue and wonder were absent. After all, the story concerning these places were over, to put it bluntly. Continuing to go along with the current flow may garner a sense of divine comfort, but getting comfortable with predictability can be like making friends with the devil. Whether we like it or not, life’s chaotic tendencies must be faced eventually.

A college imparts this essential wisdom onto its students. The first week, a student may come across an uncooperative roommate, awkward bathroom situations, conflicting world views, financial headaches and possibly true independence for the first time. The first week may also bring about the chance to make friends with people you never thought possible, defend or change your view, prepare for a future career, go on wacky adventures and simply ramble on.

Keeping all this in mind, it would be difficult to truly become enthralled by the boredom of mundane comfort. The college era of life may not be the climax of the individual’s story, but it can serve as the rising action. Staunch beliefs one had going into SNHU may be shaken to their foundation while attending the school. Don’t be fooled, though; this revelation is meant to be encouraging.

When somebody lives in the same area for twenty years, the opportunity to have the roots of home expand is lacking. Leaving home for a long time does allow one to truly appreciate what they already have, but it also establishes an opportunity for growth that would

never have been possible without taking that one giant step out the familiar world of home. As the year progresses, it can be easy to feel a newfound infatuation toward home, but don’t let it fool you.

Remember the roots of where you’ve been before, but don’t restart the old story. Grow the roots and finish the current story instead.

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