As a senior graduating in less than three weeks, I have been reflecting on my time here, wondering what my college experience would have been like if I hadn’t gone to school 10 hours away. If I stayed at home, I would have gone to the University of New Hampshire, which is 20 minutes from where I live, but I chose JMU. Being a state school, I am constantly surrounded by people who can drive home for the weekend or night whenever they want. Most of the time, I fly home unless it’s Christmas break or I am moving in or out. I have become incredibly independent by going outside of my comfort zone and being at airports alone. I went to a small catholic high school with fewer than 500 people in it. I felt like I was living inside a bubble, and all I wanted was to escape. I consider Virginia the South as I am from one of the most northern states in the country, but I have learned people in Virginia don’t consider this the South. Moving to Virginia was a cultural shock to me because the southern accents and hospitality were so different from the North. Upon meeting people and asking them where they are from, a large percentage of people said NoVA. I had no idea what they were talking about, but quickly learned it was an abbreviation for northern Virginia. When I was a freshman, even now as a senior, the number one question everyone would ask me when I told them I was from New Hampshire was Why JMU? I would say I wanted to try something new and leave New England. The beautiful campus stood out to me as well, especially being in the mountains. Leaving behind the comfort of my small town in New Hampshire for the unknown of a new state was scary, but it was so exciting. I remember how lonely I felt when my roommates would leave to go home or their parents visited for the day. My friends from home never visited me, and my roommate’s friends from home would visit a lot, which made me miss my friends so much. I missed my parents more than ever when my friend’s parents visited, but they couldn’t make it down as much as they wanted to because of the distance and full-time jobs. Being surrounded by people who would go home a few times a month made me realize why so many people stayed close to home for college. I can proudly say how happy I am that I have grown so much by being so far from home.
In 2021, around 22% of JMU’s population was out-of-state, and now in 2025, around 50% of the new students are out-of-state. This percentage increase will go down in JMU’s history as it has never happened where 50% of students are from VA, and 50% are not. This statistic made me realize that when I started college in 2021, it wasn’t as common for out-of-state students to attend a state school like JMU, but now it is. JMU has also become more and more popular due to its growing national recognition, especially in sports and the campus environment.
This decision pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. It offered me experiences and opportunities I would not have encountered in different circumstances. The personal growth that came from this shaped me into a more independent and resilient person. Freshman and sophomore years were honestly hard because of how homesick I was, but they made me into the person I am today. Choosing to attend an out-of-state college was one of the most challenging but transformative decisions I have ever made.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 