The excitement of a new start, two hours away from home. The possibilities for career enhancement, and a great program for my major. All of the new people I would get to meet through my classes and activities. These were all things that got me excited about starting my sophomore year here at Kent State.

However, there were definite elements of uncertainty. Would I like the campus? How would I feel being away from my family after spending almost 20 years with them, as well as my friends I had made so many memories with? Would I really get the quality of education I was promised in so many letters from the Admissions Office and through word of mouth from numerous family friends? I have never dealt well with the enigmatic parts of life, so these things definitely weighed heavily on my mind.

I spent my freshman year of college at Duquesne University in downtown Pittsburgh. I graduated from South Fayette High School, which is about a half an hour outside of the city. Pittsburgh was home, and home equated to comfort, security, and a comfortable amount of change. So I committed myself to Duquesne.

Later on, however, I realized was in dire need of an earth-shattering change. I needed to break out of my comfort zone and free myself from the chains that the suburbs of Pittsburgh had confined me with. I always wanted college to be a crazy new adventure, and I ended up taking the easy way out by relying on what I knew. I owed it to myself to see whether the grass really was greener on the other side.

So, I finally did it. I moved in around noon on Thursday. I’m sitting in my room in Centennial Court F as I type this column. It’s 3:34 in the morning. At this point, things have been going really well. I have not encountered anyone I feel an inordinate amount of dislike towards, and I have made some great friends that I look forward to spending time with these next three years. Plus, the food here pretty much blows Duquesne’s completely out of the water, both in terms of selection and quality.

While I cannot speak on the academic aspect of life at Kent State since classes just started, I am sure I will not be disappointed on this front either. I will admit the other uncertainties I mentioned are still somewhat looming. I do love the campus, but getting from Centennial to Franklin Hall in 80- to 90-degree weather should merit a medal. I would prefer not to think about what that would be like while carrying books. I will find that out this week.

As for the homesickness, I will admit it is still somewhat present. Weekend visits are always a possibility, though, so my family and friends can work those details out eventually. As a whole, this experience has been a pretty positive one.

I guess it’s true what they say: You never know how something will go until you try it.