Aislin Freedman, Junior
For millions of high school juniors and seniors all over the country, the question of where to apply to college is daunting. Even after getting accepted into multiple colleges, the question is still a difficult one. A deciding factor when looking for colleges to attend is the location of the college. For some, a college closest to home is the best option. Staying in the same state, or the same general area, is non-negotiable. The cheaper costs of state colleges for residents of the state and the prospect of having family nearby to lean back on make the decision an assuring one. On the other hand, many teens wish to leave the nest, and travel to states on the other side of the country, or even in a new country entirely.
I, personally, am someone who plans on moving far away for college. Living in New England, my plan is to attend college in Colorado. However, many of my friends are looking at colleges that are all within arms reach of their current residence, and I can see why. For one, living close to home offers certain financial benefits. If you live close enough to your college, you can stay living at your current house with your parents, which reduces the cost of college by eliminating the need for college dorms or apartments to stay in. Many people are also much more comfortable living where they are, and the idea of moving to a completely new place with new customs and new geography is overwhelming to say the least. Many students are stressed about the changes and challenges college will bring on its own, without the added bonus of a change in scenery. On top of all this, even if you live in college dorms, your house will just be a hop skip and a jump away for vacations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Passover, and even family birthdays. Feelings of homesickness will also be reduced, because in the end, you can just return home any time you feel like it.
There are also many positive reasons for moving away from home. As someone planning to make the move myself, I can speak for some of the reasons that drew me into wanting to move, as well as some reaons others might want to do the same. The single most important reason for moving away is that I get to see somewhere new. I have ADHD, and so I am known to not like sitting still. I would also like to move to Colorado for good some day, so attending college there is a good option to experience what it’s like without fully committing after college.
Another reason many people may choose to move away from home is to experience freedom and independence from their parents: whether you just want to see if you can handle feeding yourself, waking yourself up on time, and scheduling your own days, or you want the freedom to go to parties and experiment with different personalities or clothing choices away from the people who have known you for your whole life.
Some people may want an escape from that embarrassing childhood nickname or anecdote, while others are trying to escape a confining or repressing home life, yet others choose to go somewhere new because they are drawn to the geography. For example, one of the main reasons I like the idea of Colorado so much is because of how close to the mountains it is. I am a big skier, and love exploring the outdoors, so the idea of being in Colorado draws me in, as opposed to the flatter coastline where I spent most of my childhood.
Whatever your choice is, to stay in state, or to move halfway around the world, college itself will present the advent of new challenges and opportunities. New friends will take root where the old ones blew away, and life will change, as it always does, one way or the other. College is the first chance many people have to truly strike out on their own, and learn from their own mistakes, but it is also important to remember that college won’t be the end of this new change. There isn’t one singular college that will make you happy for the rest of your life, and if you go to any others you will be miserable forever. So whatever your choice may be, the most important part is to face this new era of your life with confidence and maturity.