1. It's easier to choose your friends

I lived in the same city my entire life before coming to college, so I had been going to school with the same general pool of people for YEARS.

Coming to college was exciting because people could see me for who I was then without any prior judgment. I found it easier to connect with people that I felt drawn to and easier to stop seeing people who didn't make me feel good about myself.

2. The independence

As an adult, you are in charge of your own life. Being reliant on yourself is incredibly empowering, and the only person around to monitor your life choices is – drumroll – you!

Want to go get pizza at 4 A.M. on a Tuesday? No one is stopping you! Need to skip class to catch up on sleep? Do it! Even if you make some questionable choices, having the freedom to do so is fantastic.

3. More flexibility with your education

The lovely thing about college is that you get to decide what to study. So, if you hated math in high school, you really don't have to choose to study math in college. Isn't that incredible?

And if you haven't found your passion yet, you can take classes in subjects that interest you until you discover something that you want to pursue.

4. A better social life

The social scene in college is infinitely better than in high school.

There's tons to do on any given day, and the diverse student body broadens the range of activities immensely. Even if you don't want to do anything big, you'll probably live near all of your friends and won't have to feel lonely.

5. More opportunities

College presents you with the kind of resources you never could have imagined in high school. There are study abroad opportunities, research positions, internships, and so much more waiting for you if you give it a shot.