Is It Better To Go Away For College?

Question

I am very close knit with my mother, I am deciding whether I should go away for college. I get home sick quickly. When I talked to a childhood friend who went away for college, he had stated that going away for college matures you, and once you go, you wont like to come back. What are the pros and cons of going to college in your town? And what are the pros and cons of going away for college?

Help!!

Answer 1

Pro:

- you have to rely on yourself a lot more

- you have to make new friends

- you have to do your own laundry

- you have to learn that noone is going to wake you up

i.e. you grow up.

Con:

- you have to rely on yourself a lot more

- you have to make new friends

- you have to do your own laundry

- you have to learn that noone is going to wake you up



i.e. you HAVE to grow up

As for never returning home, well, yes, that is different because you mature into a person and you will likely no longer be that 'sweet innocent young thing' that went away. parents have to grow up too.....

I always urge people to go away for at least part of their college..... it is a growing experience and the worst thing that happens is that you discover that you are not ready to grow up and be pushed out of the nest.

Answer 2

Personally, I see very few advantages of staying at home/near home for college because you always remain kind of dependent. In this modern world, it is always better to spread your wings and go as far as possible.

Obviously, if the place near home gives you sweet financial deal, then the whole scenario changes.

But otherwise school away from home has SO MANY advantages. It teaches you about the rest of the world and challenges you on a daily basis.

Answer 3

Staying in town:

    Pros -if you commute from home, you can save on room/board

          -You're already familiar with the area

          -If you live on campus, you can still visit home every week (don't need to do laundry or even cook if you bring food from home)

          -Probably will stay in touch with more of your high school friends, since most will probably also stay nearby; also can keep in close contact with family and avoid homesickness

    Cons:  -Commuter students often miss out on the community feeling (living experiences) of the school and many campus activities; they also have to worry about parking

              -Because you go home to do laundry/get food, you might not learn to do your own laundry or cook well

              -Because you already know so many people from HS, you might not be as motivated to meet new people, make new friends, and see different people

Going Away:

    Pros: -Forced to be more independent, so you figure out cooking/laundry/cleaning and money if you work and pay for your own living expenses

           -Tend to meet many new people and try new experiences, since you can't cling to old friends and stay in your comfort zone

           -Probably will be more immersed in campus life/activities

   Cons: -You will probably be homesick (or at least I was) and miss all your old friends

            -Probably will cost more

            -Don't really know the area, so for the first few weeks you need to rely on other people to help and explore on your own

Personally, I like going to school in a different area --you get to meet people who arent' like you, and see different settings, which I think is important for broadening your mind. I do think people who go to school out of state are less likely to end up living/working in their hometown if they're from a small town, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (I think people go back home if they're from a big city). Whatever you decide, good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

This is my second year in college and I'm going to a school over two hours away from my hometown.  Like you, I am also really close to my family, but I wanted a chance to be away from them.  My first year went pretty well because I had a boyfriend who went here too.  He was the only person I knew, but I had him there to comfort me.  And I drove home every few weeks.  However, this year it was more difficult to come back to school.  I no longer have that boyfriend and I feel lonely here by myself.  

It's good to get away if you're really outgoing and meet people very quickly.  And it does help you to mature because you have to take care of yourself.  But, if you're more of a homebody it's sometimes hard to overcome being at a school where you don't know anyone.

My advice is if you really want to get away, do so.  You can see what it's like and if you like it you can stay.  If not, you can always transfer after your first or second semester.  

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

yes and no. Yes, you do grow up quicker and learn to be on your own, which everyone needs to learn but sometimes the home ties are ready to be severed yet. In cases like that, attend a college in your city where you can save money to move out at a later date. If you do go off to college, you don't have to go 3,000 miles, you can pick one that is about 1-2 hours away where you can come home on the weekends. If you don't have transportation, I am sure you will make friends with someone who is from your city and you can carpool on the weekends. That's what I did. After a while, you won't come home as often but you will still be close to your family incase you need to.

Answer 6

i think its better to go away

i mean, you gotta grow up sometime!

Answer 7

Yes go far away to college.

You will be more independent and more likely to have a realistic view of the world when you are by yourself and less likely to major in dead end stuff like english literature, art, dance, communications or anything else.

Answer 8

pa-shaw it is. staying at home with your parents might be sorta nice, so that you dont get homesick, but growing up and experiencing (legal) things on your own is all part of the adventure. you cant be living with your parents forever, so go out, so the world, and have fun!

Answer 9

My advice would be to go away to college, but just not that far. The school I went to originally was about an hour away. Far enough away that I was "on my own", but close enough that if I needed to go see my mom some night, it was a quick jaunt back. I am also VERY close to my mom, and it was hard on both of us when I went to school (be prepared for lots of crying and what not...heh), but we kept in real close touch the whole time.

Youll appreciate being on your own once you get there, and you can call mom every day and let her know how good your doing, how classes are, who the new friends are that youre making. College is a once in a lifetime experience, take it for all its worth!