My decision to commute this upcoming fall wasn't a surprise to anyone. It had been a hectic freshmen year and I felt like it was the best decision for me emotionally and mentally. And I'm actually really excited to be commuting. I bet you never thought you'd hear those words from someone. But here are a couple reasons why:

1. I get to jam out in my car every morning

Besides the fact that I'll thankfully have a car on campus, I will also have the chance to jam out every morning. I don't know about you but I loveeee singing along to my favorite songs during long car rides and this is no exception. Catch me lip syncing in my car every morning.

2. I'm sharing a room with someone who understands me

Giphy

My freshmen year I got roomed with two girls. They were both super nice but I learned a lot about appreciating my actual house. You learn that you like to live a certain way and that might not exactly click with how your roommates like to live. But now I'll be living at home and sharing a room with my sister. We've lived together for 17 years so we've learned a thing or two about dealing with each other. And she's like my best friend so it's going to be great.

3. Home cooked meals

I don't mean to brag but my mom's traditional mexican dishes are what I live for. Even though UCLA dorm food was so good (trust me it really was), I missed my mom's cooking. With my mom as a guide, this will give me a chance to actually learn how to cook, since that was impossible without a kitchen in the dorms and will be essential to commuting since swipes will not be a thing in my life anymore.

4. Most of my friends live around me

My closest friends live in my hometown and I'm excited to reconnect with them. It was hard for me to stay in touch with friends back home because I suck at texting (sorry guys) and I was always busy with something. But now that I'll be back I'm ready to catch up and have a fun year with them.

5. Spending more time with God

I love going to my church and studying the bible with my church community. During this school year while dorming it was impossible to get as involved as I wanted to be. And even though I was able to spend time with God in my dorm, it was always limited to when I was alone in my room. Now that I'm home I can make time to go to my own room and just pray or read His word whenever.

6. It will push me out of my comfort zone

This year I won't be able to rely on roommates or floormates to constantly hanging out with. This is going to push me to join more clubs, get involved more in school, and make friends in my classes. Which even though I know is going to be a little tough, I'm sure it everything will work out great.

During my freshmen year, I made memories and friendships that I will always cherish. It also gave me this newfound appreciation for my family and my home. All in all, it's very easy to get swayed by others opinions of commuting but honestly it's what you make of it. I'm sure there will be days when I wish I had that dining hall food on campus or that I could just take a nap in my dorm between classes but overall I think commuting is the best decision for me, and I can't wait to see what this year brings.