When I told people I was going to college in North Carolina, one of the most common responses (aside from the obligatory congratulations) was “how are you going to handle the different culture, considering North Carolina is in the South?”

My answer was that I wanted to try something new. I was excited for a different change of pace from the Bay Area where everyone is likeminded in their liberal views.

While I was nervous about the culture shock that was to come, I thought that I would be able to handle the different viewpoints that the South would bring.

I knew that I would be faced with views unlike my own because many students who go to Wake Forest are from the South.

While I knew that college campuses tend to be more liberal, I was excited to be challenged by the different types of people at this school.

For me, it wasn’t about going to a school where I was immersed in a culture much like the one I grew up in — it was about being in a place that would challenge me and my views.

It was about coming to a place where I actually had to defend my views and not just go along with what was the norm back home.

Coming to a school in an area much different than where I grew up was one of the best decisions for me because I have actually learned a lot about what I believe and why.

Instead of just going along with the views widely shared in California, I now have my own views and opinions. Hearing what my friends debate now in politics and other topics, I have been forced to be able to speak up and share my own opinion and give basis and reasoning.

In doing so, I have become my own person — instead of being a byproduct of the Silicon Valley. The opinions I have come from all that I have learned during my time at Wake Forest and from my experiences growing up.

My education has not been limited to one mindset and to one set of norms; it has been expanded by the diversity that Wake Forest encompasses.

A school like this attracts people from all over the country.

One of the most important things that I could emphasize is that it is essential to let yourself be challenged by those around you and to put yourself in a position where you are not limited to one set of views. Exposing yourself to a variety of people allows for personal growth and understanding.

When our views are challenged is how we strengthen them because we become aware of their weaknesses and inaccuracies. In order to understand and change our opinions, it is crucial to let them be scrutinized and opposed by others.