Going away to school can serve as a gateway for students into society. You are not quite fully on your own (for the most part) because you are still under supervision (however very minimal supervision). You learn how to do things on your own while still not yet considered a full-fledged independent adult.
Going away to school will ultimately change your life. You will see things and learn lessons that would not be possible had you stayed home (or close to home). You will come out a completely different person than when you first went in, due largely to the experiences you undergo.
You realize what it means to be self-reliant. You realize YOU are your greatest ally and worst enemy. You learn to do what you need to do in order to make ends meet and be successful. If you fail, you do not hurt anyone but yourself. This is a motivator to keep going and succeed.
Moving out of your parents' home and away from your comfort zone makes you vulnerable. This can be scary at first but as time passes you build resilience. You are forced to take risks and the more risks you take help to make you stronger. This is important for survival after college. You build self-confidence which is an essential quality to possess.
The people you meet in college shape your life in many different ways. Some relationships are positive ones while others can be destructive. However, no relationship is meaningless. You live and you learn and the ability to meet as many different people as possible and to take something from each relationship you have is key.
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