A Suitcase, a Long Journey

I grew up in Darıca, by the sea, in a crowded yet familiar place… When the university results were announced, the first feeling I had upon learning I had been accepted to Erzurum was excitement. Immediately after, a thought came to me: “Am I really going to go this far away?”

My family, my friends, the life I was used to—all of it was in Darıca. Erzurum, for me, was just a distant city I had only seen on a map. I knew leaving home for university would be difficult, but you cannot truly understand until you live it.

I still remember vividly the day I first arrived in Erzurum. The weather was colder than I expected. After Darıca’s humid but mild climate, Erzurum’s sharp chill immediately made me feel like I had entered an entirely different world. But the real challenge was not the cold.

For the first time, I was so far away from my family. Settling into a new dorm room, sharing space with people I had never met, and trying to manage everything on my own felt overwhelming at first. Especially during the first few weeks, the longing for home became especially strong.

After some time, I realized that moving to a new city meant more than just studying somewhere new—it meant learning to know yourself. Learning to handle your own affairs, taking responsibility, and continuing even when things get hard… These are the lessons not written in any university syllabus, yet they are the most valuable ones.

The time I spent in Erzurum added so much to my life. What initially seemed like a difficult city gradually became part of my daily routine. I formed new friendships, experienced new things, and saw just how much living far from home can change a person.

Today, I believe that coming from Darıca to Erzurum was not just a university choice—it was also a story of growing up and beginning to chart your own path.

Sometimes I miss my hometown, but I know that the years I spent in Erzurum will be among the most instructive periods of my life.