Attending college in New York City gave me freedom at age 18 that not all people get to have. Instead of being confined to a set community within the boundaries of a gated facility, the entirety of New York City became my campus. I had access to a wide range of public transportation that could take me everywhere, from Brooklyn to home in New Jersey.
With this freedom, I grew a lot. I learned to get to places on time by foot instead of by my parents driving me, to manage my own bank account and completely live off of my own money (I was not given allowance), and to simply look out for myself and keep my health in check. I found myself enjoying spending time alone, for it was so liberating to not anybody to hold me back from doing whatever I wanted to do.