As senior year draws to a close, many seniors are beginning the process of thinking of future plans. With this process comes many doubts but also a lot of excitement. Senior Ava Rath will be moving to North Carolina to attend East Carolina University (ECU). 

“I am really excited to start somewhere new and be able to meet new people, and be a part of a different community,” Rath said.

Rath will be attending ECU to study physical therapy.

“I’ll be majoring in exercise physiology, [this is preparing me] for physical therapy. This falls under kinesiology but it’s just a little bit more specific to physical therapy,” Rath said.

Many seniors wait to pack and prepare for college until the summer and Rath decided to do the same.

“I’ve kind of been avoiding it because it is really scary, and I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” Rath said. “I think when I graduate, and the summer starts and it gets closer to leaving, I’ll be a lot more ready.” 

With moving so far away a lot of concerns and nerves can follow this big transition.

“[I’m most nervous] for leaving my life behind. My family and friends aren’t [in North Carolina], and it’s four and a half hours away, so I can’t just come home. I don’t have anything there and that’s really scary to think about,” Rath said. 

With Rath leaving Harrisonburg, she’ll be leaving a lot of the things she loves behind. 

“[I’m going to miss] the mountains and the hills. I went to visit North Carolina, and it was completely flat,” Rath said.

Even though she is moving away, she is hopes to come home and visit her friends and family.

“I will definitely be coming back because I want to see my friends,” Rath said.

There are many options for incoming freshmen for living accommodations at ECU. This being said, Rath will be living in a dorm. 

“I’ll be living in a dorm [next] year, but I’m hoping the year after that I can get an apartment because then I can apply for residency which would make my tuition a lot cheaper, ” Rath said.

“I was really lucky, the first girl I [messaged] we actually decided to be roommates. We have a lot in common. We are both CNAs and she’s also majoring in exercise physiology, and she’s really into clothes and fashion. Our birthdays are only a couple days apart so I’m really excited,” Rath said. 

Overall Rath is really excited to be in her new city, and is excited to explore her new surroundings.

“The campus is right downtown and some of [the] restaurants downtown are really famous and they’ve been on barstool sports,” Rath said. “It’s very similar to downtown Harrisonburg, but it’s a lot bigger and it’s just really pretty.”