Changes inevitable, though unavoidable

by Taylor Charters, editorial assistant

Change is inevitable. It will happen, whether you like it or not.

High school seniors have the world at their fingertips; their options are limitless. They can do anything they want, anything, that is, except for staying put inside the walls of their hometown high school, which is the last thing anyone wants to do until they actually get out.

Having been born and raised in New York; the last thing that I wanted to do was stay there under my parent’s roof and watch my friends go off to big-time schools such as Boston University, the University at Buffalo or some other university located a couple hours from home. So, I guess partly in rebellion and partly because I didn’t know what else to do, I decided to move clear across the country.

After declining admission to Ashland University in Ohio, West Virginia University and Kent State University, I packed my car with everything I could possibly fit in it and drove two days, from Buffalo, N.Y. to Lubbock.

That’s when I was hit with culture shock. I was a college freshman, living on my own almost 2,000 miles away from my childhood safe haven. My extent of knowledge of life in Texas was based on everything that I had seen on TV and every stereotype I had ever heard. I found out really quick that everything I thought when I got here couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

The grass is always greener on the other side. It’s a proven fact. I grew up in a small town, comparable to the size of Levelland, and everybody knew me.  If people didn’t know me personally, you can bet that they knew either one or both of my parents at some point in time. I have had headlines and stories about me in the newspaper more times than I can count, and it has never been a big deal to me to actually be able to go sledding in my backyard. I grew up swimming, figure skating and skiing.  Going to high school hockey games was a huge deal.

Three feet of snow overnight? No big deal. You have to deal with the ice and the cold, but it certainly doesn’t stop life dead in its tracks like it does here. It is not uncommon for neighbors to have an ice rink in their backyard or see somebody cross country skiing to a friend’s house.

When I moved to Lubbock, I expected to be able to continue all three of my sports, and I figured we would at least get a couple feet of snow. However, once again, I was proved wrong about life in West Texas.

 I didn’t see people riding their horses to the tavern and drawing their guns in the middle of a dirt road, but I did feel lost in the crowd. I have come to learn about roping, two-stepping, and the difference between a house and a ranch. I have come to the realization that people really do wear cowboy boots and cowboy hats here rather than Baby Phat jeans and a pair Nike shocks.

When an only child moves 2,000 miles away from her two best friends - mom and dad - the only thing that you are going to be is homesick.  However, slowly but surely, I began to fall in love with my new life. I have come to make some of the best friends who I will ever have, memories that will last forever, and experiences I can always look back on.

Change is inevitable, but sometimes it’s for the better.