My name is Amera and I’m currently an Antioch College second year student. I chose to write my blog post about being an out of state student.

For a little background, I am originally from Houston, Texas. During my senior year in high school, my counselor encouraged me to look at schools out of state. I applied to three and decided on Antioch College. After these first two years, I’ve traveled a lot more than I think I would have in any other school.

I had never traveled on my own and I’ve never lived in any other state but Texas, so moving to Ohio was a big deal for me. Moving out of state for college is what my mom called a “power thrust into adulthood.” You’re away from your parents and family, but you have your own privacy and space, and maybe a job, and you will make friends. So far, I’ve adjusted easily. I moved to Antioch, I got a cat, I got my first job, and I’ve gotten to go on road trips and adventures with my Antioch friends.

The scariest thing about moving out of state for me was being away from home. I quickly made close friendships and they have become like my new family. Coming from Texas, the only thing my family could think or say about me going to Ohio for school was, “You know it’s gonna be cold up there? Like really, really cold?” However, I don’t think there has been a day I hated the winter. I had a snowball fight for my nineteenth birthday for the first time and on my twentieth birthday, I ate Korean Food with my best friend on a snowy Boston day.

One of the most exciting things about Antioch is called Co-op. One term out of the year you can leave the school to work anywhere in the world. Antioch gives first-hand experience adapting to the fear and anxiety of travelling. You quickly learn how to survive and live on your own at a new job in a new place, creating a new home. If there’s one thing I can wholeheartedly tell you about Antioch, it’s that you will develop skills in independence, self conservation and adaptability.

I stayed in Yellow Springs for my first Co-op and I was able to build more connections with older students since my class went away for Co-op. My second Co-op, my best friend and I lived together with an alumni in Boston. I’d always dreamed of living in Boston so it was amazing to spend time there. I can’t wait to do an international Co-op. I’d love to go to Europe or South Korea in the future.

Due to the pandemic, my spring break travel plans were cancelled, and I had to go home to Texas to stay with my family. It was the smartest and safest choice but I’ve never missed the Antioch campus so much than I miss it right now. It was my own little world of independence and self-discovery. Of course, there were struggles and trials but I’m counting the days until I can return to my friends and personal space.

Moving out of state is a big move, and it solely depends on what you want from your college experience. For me, it was one of the best decisions I could have made