In a blink of an eye, half the summer has gone by. I remember exactly last year that I was making one of the biggest decisions of my life: choosing where to attend college. After the whole process of sending in my application to multiple schools, it came down to two options for me. I could either go out-of-state to Arizona State University or attend school ten minutes away at California State University, Northridge.

With two extremely different schools at different prices and locations, it took a lot of thinking and consideration, but, eventually, I made the choice to attend college nearby my home. Even though I was confident I made the right decision, I always had doubts about it. A year later though, I can honestly say that I don't regret my decision. This article is for all of you who may be having doubts about the future or convince you that staying home for college is so underrated.

1. I am not in debt.

Since I go to a college that is in my hometown, tuition rates are lower for me. It's because I don't have to pay extra out-of-state fees or pay for a dorm to live in. Therefore, I didn't have to take any loans out to pay for my tuition, making my debt amount $0.

If I attended Arizona State University, I would have already been thousands of dollars in debt. So by the time I graduated, I would not only have to get a job in my profession, I would have been met with the burden of paying back my student loans.

That's why I don't regret choosing the cheaper option. My family doesn't need to choke up thousands of dollars per semester for me to attend school and I don't need to pay back huge sums of money to the government.

2. I'm still having an awesome time.

I can see why people would want to move as far away from home and start fresh somewhere new. If that's you, don't let me stop you in what your heart wants. But, that just wasn't me. I was scared to leave everything behind because I love where I live and the community around CSUN.

So I decided to stay and I was pleasantly surprised at the fact that even though I stayed in my neighborhood, there are still thousands of new people at CSUN to meet. Not to mention, CSUN offers fun events throughout the year to have a good time with friends, old or new.

I'm not the type of person who wants to drink and party a.k.a the "college experience". I'm all about getting good grades and going out for an ice cream with friends once in a while. However, if you are looking for that kind of "college experience", staying at home wouldn't be the best option unless you have chill parents.

3. I have greater odds in attending a higher university.

Which sounds better to you: a student with a 4.0 from a community college or a student with a 4.0 from a university? If you ask me, I would say transferring from a university to an even bigger university with a 4.0 GPA sounds much better.

I'm not saying community college is worthless because it's not. I think it's financially smart to go to community college for two years then transfer. I'm just saying that my odds are better in getting accepted to a school that I want than the average transfer student.

Also, just having that choice of changing schools to my favor is a blessing all on its own. I have the ability to either stay at CSUN or strive for somewhere even better.

I hope these points have helped you in some way. My ultimate advice to you is to be honest with yourself. Don't try to convince yourself with lies to move away or to stay when you know deep down inside you know the truth. Whatever choice you make, know that everything will be okay and it's okay to make mistakes. After all, making mistakes is how you learn what you truly want.