Over my last year in high school, I have had to work harder than I ever have to
achieve my goal of getting into a good college. I’ve known since freshman year that I
wanted to move away from my home to get an education elsewhere (whether abroad or
in a different state/city). After working on my applications for months, building portfolios,
and writing what seemed like a million essays, all of my college submissions were
completed. Time to relax! Until... the responses started to roll in. One after another. The
realization that I had to leave my home, friends, and comfort zone had slowly set in. I
began to feel myself spiraling. “How will I do this?” Or “Was this the right decision?” ran
through my head every second. “Will I make any friends?” “Will I lose all of mine at
home?” I experienced the most significant amount of anxiety I have had in years. I grew
so terrified at the prospect of moving away and changing my entire lifestyle that I almost
withdrew my applications.
I understood I was about to make a rash decision, so I took my thoughts and
feelings to my therapist. We worked out how I was afraid to leave my comfort zone and
how it would be helpful to get ahead of all the stress. It was time to focus on the positive
outcomes that were beginning to come out of my work. I had to get out of a
self-destructive mindset (which is never easy). I learned to dive head-first into what
scared me. I asked my parents to fly out halfway across the country to tour my top
school. And we loved it! I began to embrace the idea of an unknown future and bask in
the fruits of my labor. Here are a few ideas that I had to remind myself of while coping
with the significant changes ahead:
1) Plan Ahead: I knew that my entire life would change in a few months, so
why not plan for the exciting things that would come with that change? I
personally:
- Looked for new furniture for my dorm room
- Found exciting classes that I could take during my first quarter
- Took a look around the college town and found a bunch of new food
spots
- Found a local gym to continue to do what I love (weightlifting)
2) Reframe your thinking: Your life will not fall apart just because you’re
leaving your comfort zone. Think about all the new opportunities this
change will present:
- The ability to form new friends
- Explore a brand-new city
- Learn more about the subject I’m passionate about
3) Maintain normalcy: Don’t stop living your present life just because the
daunting reality of change is setting in. You still have time; it will just be an
adjustment later. Enjoy what you have in the present, and take some of
those ideals to your new space (it might help the transition of the move).