Why Go Away to College? Posted by Hannah on February 18th, 2010

This is a question that has plagued me and my closest friends for a long time, and it’s something I have become highly passionate about. I’ve been asked thousands of times by various people, “Why didn’t you go away to college? Did you not want to ‘leave the nest?’”

I opted to go to a local college, which isn’t a community college, but a branch off of a large college in this area of Ohio. Note: I only stated that so people would understand the rest of this clearer. :) Why did I do that? I mean, I could easily have gone to the main campus roughly an hour from my house, lived in a dorm, had lots of new experiences and learned how to live on my own that way. I didn’t, though.

I happily stayed home. I avoided the massive finances some have to deal with after graduating, and I learned to live on my own without having the possibility of living with a psychopathic roommate or wondering constantly if my roommate remembered to lock the door behind her. Granted, that doesn’t happen to everything, but I simply didn’t want to waste my efforts on that sort of possibility when I could, instead, pay a small amount each year to attend a school five minutes from my house, surrounded by theatres and living with my pets all still surrounding me. I get to keep my car with me and have a job year round.

Yes, I do miss out on dorm life and living in a small community like colleges are, but that’s really not for me. :) I’m truly elated to wake up in my own bed, in my bedroom, alone every day. I love knowing that my mother is a mere shout away at night, and that I can go and pet my cats whenever I want. I don’t have to stress out about leaving certain things at home and others at school and I don’t have to bend employment around life.

I have a few friends who truly piss me off with this topic. They are totally certain that I am missing out on an experience and that I’m an idiot for doing what I’ve chosen. They argue with me. Lecture me. Yell at me.

…I just don’t care. I’m thrilled that they are living the lives they are living–it suits them! I’m just not that person that goes away. My mother and I have always been close, and it would be odd for me to leave her. I know myself well enough to know that I would have to had returned home every weekend. I could not have been away from her too long. Few knew me when I was a small child, but we’ve always had an incredibly strong bond and that’s not something I like parting with.

On top of everything, I’m damn happy that I can get my degree and owe less than 10 grand in student loans. :) And, actually, with my current scholarship path, I’ll be paying even less if I keep at it. I planned this how I did because I want to live my life unlike those I know that went away. I know far too many people that went to a expensive school, got the same degree as someone from a cheaper school and now live their lives worried about paying off their loans. I already worry heavily about them, and that’s not something I ever wanted to have to do.

I’m damn proud that I stayed home, and I’m an advocate for anyone that wants to do the same thing. It’s not a crime to stay home. You can still get all those experiences you would going away. I just ask anyone that’s looking at colleges to follow their heart. Not everyone does go away and some go much farther away than others. :)

Filed under: Beliefs, School

4 Responses to “Why Go Away to College?”

  1. Caity
    February 19th, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    Wow, I am so happy to read this! I did the same thing. I went to a local private college and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I did it for all the same reasons that you did and I had to go through a little over 4 years (I double majored) of my friends telling me that I was nuts, missing all the fun, and that I was ruining the best time of my life. They were wrong, though. Most of them failed out, are now in massive financial debt, and I had the time of my life and have no debt.

    Good for you. Enjoy yourself and don’t let anyone tell you what you want. :)

  2. Kelly
    February 19th, 2010 at 10:23 pm

    I went to college years ago, it was about an hour by bus, and I stayed at home as well, because there wasn’t a campus at all, if you wanted to leave home you had to get your own place and that’s way too expensive.

  3. Isa
    February 22nd, 2010 at 9:23 pm

    Where I live, there aren’t that many choices for colleges and usually for Science students we all end up going to the same college which is stressful due to limited space.

    I couldn’t imagine leaving my home either, I’ve got too many things I enjoy home to leave it for an unsafe, crammed dorm that’s always filled with noise. I prefer home because I have control over a lot more things rather than in a dorm and I’m close to my mom as well, I wouldn’t want to leave her.

    Your friends should be a bit more understanding to your decision for choosing to stay home, it sounds like there are so much benefits to it as well.

  4. Fiorella
    March 1st, 2010 at 11:15 am

    I have to say I agree with you. I’m currently in grade 11 and I’ve had to start thinking & planning my post secondary studies. Honestly, I would rather stay around home then leave somewhere that’s far away. First of all, there’s the money that you have to pay for dorms, and then of course, you’re not living alone. What if you don’t get along with the people you live with? Then what happens? That’s just another stress on top of the already existing school stress. I would love to stay home :) Being able to see my family everyday would make me happy. Maybe I just like staying in the nest, but hey, who’s to judge? Living close to your college/university is cool :)
    I hope everything goes well for you! I’m sure you will find so many new friends! :)

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