As someone who has moved houses only once (and even that was just from Temple City), I’m definitely not the most experienced with the process of relocation, nor with any of the other little challenges it entails. Finding where you feel most comfortable in an entirely unfamiliar community, opening up and meeting new people, living through the vaguely uncomfortable stages of readjustment–none of these are particularly appealing to me, and yet I will have to undertake all these tasks in a matter of a few short months. I’m guilty of having an intense affinity with my comfort zone, and generally, any college-related thought is immediately followed by a wave of my overwhelming desire for continuity. I want to continue being able to see my best friends every day, I want to continue feeling the security of having my family close at all times, and I want to continue knowing what the future holds for me. Going away for college means I won’t be able to.

Don’t get me wrong; this doesn’t mean that I’m not excited for college, because I am! I can’t wait to sign up for all sorts of clubs, embark on late-night food runs, and form lifelong friendships with passionate, funny, and intelligent individuals. Besides, seeing my classmates around me proudly sporting their respective school hoodies, brimming with anticipation for the next four years, effectively eliminates any possibility of not looking forward to a college experience. As much as I admire this fast-approaching prospect of independence, though, I can’t help but think: Am I up for the challenge of being a functioning adult for the first time in my life? How much about me, my friends, and my family will change in the next four years? And, ultimately, am I simply worrying too much?

In the end, I have to remind myself that this–the long, long process of coming to terms with saying goodbye to everything and everyone I’m familiar with–is something that all graduating high school seniors go through. Just as flowers bloom and seeds scatter each spring, maturing (to varying degrees), exploring different environments, and taking flight from the routine are, really, just parts of the natural process of growth. And like all new chapters, college brings a plethora of opportunity and potential. So as new plotlines and characters are slowly introduced to my narrative, I can only hope that some recurring ones will stick around.