Going to College? Read This.

Growing up, I always watched movies where kids would graduate from high school and move out, usually to a college dorm. I envisioned this for myself until it actually became time for me to graduate high school, and then reality hit like a ton of bricks. There is so much that comes with moving away from home. For starters, it was expensive, very, very expensive. Seriously, I still don’t understand how some of these people are going to school and working part time jobs and are still able to afford rent while having money left over for gas, food, activities, shopping, etc. That being said, I decided to stay home and commute. There are advantages and disadvantages to this decision. A good thing about staying home is extra time with family. One day, I will be married and have my own little family and although it will be great, I will miss the time spent with my parents and my sister, so I might as well soak it up while I have the chance. I get to spend time with my dog that lives at my parent’s house and she greets me at the door every day, that’s a huge plus for me. I do believe that staying at home has helped me stay on track to graduate. I am easily distracted so I think that if I were to be constantly surrounded by roommates I would never get any work or studying done. Although there are many good things about staying home, there are also some disadvantages. First, I won’t have the “college dorm experience.” Second, it is harder to make friends from school whenever you only really see them during class because you commute so far and then that class is over in a few months and you go your separate ways. Secondly, you use SO. Much. Gas. Although you don’t have to pay in rent, it almost feels like it because of how much gas you have to put in. Lastly, the “freedom situation.” In my case at least, no matter how old I am my parents always want to know where I am or at least when I am going to be home. Which is understandable, it is mostly a safety concern. But it is different when you are living on your own, you don’t really have anyone to answer to. With all of that said, I am happy with my decision od staying at home to commute as I feel that for right now, the good outweighs the bad.