A Dream That Started Early
From a young age, my best friend and I dreamed about going to college in Florida. It didn’t matter that we grew up in Iowa or that the idea seemed crazy to some—it just felt right to us. Even back then, I knew the best lessons I would learn wouldn’t come from staying where it was familiar. They would come from stepping into something new and chasing the unknown.
When COVID hit during my senior year, my plans got a little more complicated. I decided to stay close to home for a bit, enrolling at a local community college while still holding onto the dream. When I got the call that I had been awarded a scholarship to Florida Gulf Coast University, I knew it was my moment. The chance to take the leap I had been waiting for.
Leaving Home, Finding Myself
Moving across the country at 19 wasn’t easy. I said tough goodbyes, left behind people and places that had shaped me, and stepped into a world where I didn’t know a single person. But even through the hard moments, I knew it was right.
Looking back, I realize how much my earlier travels prepared me for this. My parents could see it too. They knew I was happiest when I was exploring and building something of my own. They supported me every step of the way—even encouraging me not to come home too often so I could really make a life for myself.
And that’s exactly what I did. I traded the cornfields of Iowa for the palm trees of Southwest Florida. Two years later, my best friend joined me, and we got to live the dream we had talked about for so long.
Lessons I Couldn’t Have Learned Anywhere Else
Those three years at Florida Gulf Coast University shaped me in ways no classroom ever could have. I learned who I was through every experience—the friends I made, the chances I took, the tough decisions I faced, and the unexpected paths that opened up along the way.
One of the proudest moments of my time in Florida was earning my Divemaster certification. Living so close to the ocean gave me the chance to turn something I loved into something even bigger. The training pushed me, challenged me, and showed me that I was capable of more than I ever imagined.
I didn’t graduate with the exact degree I had planned, but I left with something even more important: a stronger sense of self, a deeper confidence, and memories I’ll carry with me forever.
Why I’m Sharing This Now
Florida might not be my forever home, but it will always be the place where I proved to myself that dreams are worth chasing. That you’re allowed to want more. That you can start over somewhere new and find exactly what you need to grow.
Taking the leap at 19 was the best decision I could have made. It taught me that sometimes the scariest moves shape us the most.
If you’re standing at the edge of something new, wondering if you’re ready—maybe this is your sign. Maybe you’re more ready than you think.
Let’s keep chasing the dreams that scare us. Let’s keep stepping into the unknown.