You become much more cognizant of time when there’s not much left.  Now that it’s November, my time left on Gannon’s campus is running out for this school year. I’ve had a lot of fun this year on campus. I’m beyond excited to go to France, but at the same time, I don’t want to leave Erie.

When I first came to college, I didn’t want to be here. I was nervous about being away from home by myself and I was absolutely convinced that I wouldn’t make any friends and would always be alone in my room or in the cafeteria (I have a bit of a flair for the overly dramatic.) However, I made good friends quickly, many of whom I still call my very best friends.

Coming to college and studying abroad share a lot of common threads. Both mark a huge transition in your life. You’re moving out and moving forward and you have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen next. A lot of the fears I had about moving onto campus are resurfacing when I think about moving into my Parisian apartment.

But that’s okay. It’s okay sometimes to not have a completely firm grasp on everything that’s going to happen. It’s okay to get out there and try something new or try a familiar thing in a new setting. It’s okay to be nervous about doing something new, but you can’t let it stop you. You’ll never find out what else is there to experience if you never take the first few steps out into the world.

So I’m going to challenge you with the same mission I’ve given myself. Sometime soon, maybe not today or even this week – go try something you thought you’d never do. Try something you’ve always wanted to do. Go climb a tree or see a scary movie or finally sit down and purchase that plane ticket to France. Step outside of your box for a few minutes and take a look at what the whole world has to offer you.

Talk to you soon,

Sarah

Check out some helpful tips on how to transition into college with our Res Hall Survival Guide.