How a year at Syracuse University changed me

I've never been good at goodbyes. I've always needed a sense of permanency in my life, a guarantee of what lies ahead, an understanding of what is to come. And for this reason, leaving for college last August was not an easy feat.

Perhaps growing up on Long Island made this farewell all the more difficult. I had a childhood filled with warm, sunny days walking on the Atlantic Beach boardwalk, riding bikes with my family throughout Hewlett Harbor as the sun set so beautifully, competing in sports with classmates and friends, and spending nine unforgettable summers at Camp Westmont in Pennsylvania.

But what undoubtedly made the goodbye to my hometown of Hewlett so hard was my incredible, memorable experience as a student at George W. Hewlett High School. Like most of my peers, I struggled to grasp the thought of letting go of a school that seemed to effortlessly foster friendship and growth. I started out a timid freshman, but I became a drum major in the marching band and the school's poet laureate, performing and speaking in front of crowds. It's unbelievable how much a loving place can help you grow.

However, after graduation, the calendar reminded me that whether or not I was ready, I was going to Syracuse University.

In late August, moments of fear and angst overcame me as my hands trembled during the car ride north with my parents. I envisioned a diversity of individuals all in one place for the same reason -- to succeed. I thought back on my impatience as I waited for the day I opened my acceptance letter -- March 21, 2014. The wait to attend college was long and tedious -- yet after a freshman year of success, I realize it was all so incredibly worth it.

I knew that the work would be demanding, the parties would be fun and dorm life would be different from home. But my remarkable year exceeded those expectations.

Syracuse morphed me into a striver, a spirited Orange and a warrior in the winter who battled frigid temperatures and trekked to classes as storms dropped nearly five feet of snow in February. Being away from home forced me to become more independent as I managed weekly laundry missions, balanced studying and partying, and maintained a healthy diet. It also made me grateful for New York bagels, Long Island accents, short five-hour bus rides home, and the comfort of my very own bedroom. It made me miss and cherish my family and friends, but appreciate a new family of friends I have made at Syracuse.

As a broadcast and digital journalism major, I conquered nine intriguing courses in my first two semesters. They weren't easy. In journalism, deadlines are crucial. I know this now because after emailing a newswriting assignment three seconds late to a professor, I received an F.

I also learned a life lesson: You must challenge and force yourself to say goodbye to being constantly comfortable, appreciate individuals for all their differences (my sorority sisters and floor mates came from places including Uruguay, China, California, Georgia and Ohio), and be willing to make a home in a new place and with new people.

Although it's never easy to say goodbye to something so good, a home so special, there will always be a new chapter in our story.

Syracuse. I'll see you in August -- not quite two long months from now.

Reader Elissa Candiotti lives in Hewlett.