Studies show that 72% of high school students do not plan to stay in or return to their hometowns after graduation. Moving out of the house is a significant milestone in transitioning from the structured environment of high school to the independent realm of adulthood. Life after graduation presents various new opportunities and challenges that you take on with your newfound freedom.
Many students find that their best choices for further education and careers are outside of their familiar surroundings.
“I'm going to Southern New Hampshire University because they have an amazing writing program, and I want to see what it is like to live in another state,” Azrael Kassam-Dhanji said. “I’ll be sad to leave, but I know I can always come back and visit those whom I love.”
“I have always known I was meant for something bigger, and attending a prestigious university like the University of Texas at Austin was the first step in making that happen,” 2024 graduate Madison Pearson said. “Leaving Fort Worth was a whirlwind of emotions, including curiosity and excitement. Funny enough, I didn’t actually feel homesick until after I came back from Christmas break.”
After living with your family your whole life, adjusting to new housing conditions could be the biggest change you face.
“I’m going to room in a dormitory, but I’m not sure if I’ll have any roommates,” Kassam-Dhanji said. “I’m going to bring some of my old stuff to create a sense of home, and I’ll maintain a system of chores to stay on top of responsibilities.”
Kassam-Dhanji with his acceptance letter to SNHU
With time, your new town won’t seem as strange and unfamiliar as it once was, and thoughts of worry will be gone.
“Like with a lot of things that change, you almost just have to get used to it,” 2022 graduate Gabriel Stowe said. “Going to a new place comes with its set of challenges, but if you put in enough effort into each area of your life, then good things will always follow.”
When you leave town, the hardest part may be settling in your first few weeks there, overcoming homesickness or even just reminding yourself why you made this leap.
Ultimately, we will all encounter changes in life, and moving out may be one of the first significant changes you experience. With that in mind, don’t let it prevent you from evolving into a new version of yourself, but rather, embrace the change.