Published:
- by Sierra Caban
Students walking through campus

When many people choose to go to college, the idea of going away to school often means at least a good two hours away, unless they are deciding to stay home and commute. However, it is not always a bad thing to go to college right in your own backyard. Whether you want to commute or not, attending college close to home can be a really great experience, and here are 10 reasons to prove why that is true:

  1. You have the choice of living on campus or just staying at home. I am someone that decided to stay close to home for college, and because of this choice I got to live on campus my freshman year, commute my sophomore year, and now I’m back to living on campus again.
  2. If money is something that you’re worried about, you can save by commuting. College is extremely expensive, so when you stay close to home you lose the burden of having to pay room and board (as well as all the other fees that come with living on campus) by choosing to just live at home during your college years. Students walking down stairs with moving materials
  3. Moving in isn’t too bad. Now, granted I pack a lot of stuff, but my commute on move in day is a very short one compared to most.
  4. Forget something when moving in? No worries, just go back home and grab it. I don’t ever have to worry about shipping anything to school if I realize that I forgot it at home. I can simply pick it up or have my parents drop it off.  
  5. If you get homesick really easily you’ll feel comfortable knowing you can just go home whenever. You never have to miss a family party or wish that you could just go home for the day, because the opportunity is always there for you. Students eating outside by river
  6. Knowing all the local food spots. This comes in handy when you need a break from the View. Alternatively, you also can get home cooked meals and/or leftovers whenever you need them. This is definitely one of my favorite things about going to college close to my home.  
  7. Knowing fun things to do off-campus. Google can only give you so many options, but if you’re from the area then you know about some small local shops or hangout areas that
    wouldn’t show up in a Google search.Students walking through woods
  8. Having your friends from home come to visit doesn’t take a lot of planning. They can just drive over and spend the day without having to pack a weekend bag or having to figure out where to sleep at night.Students hanging out in common area
  9. Taking a break from campus when you need it. We all have those days where we need to step away from school, and spending some time at home can help reenergize you. 
  10.  It’s like the best of both worlds. You can get the college experience but still know that if you need a hug from your parents, it’s not too far away!

Don’t believe me, come see and hear about it for yourself! View upcoming Admissions events here.