Reasons why I am so glad that I went away to school, despite the increased financial costs:

I do what I want.

It's as easy as that. When you live at home, I'm sure you get most of the college perks, but if it was me, my parents would still be wanting to know my location and business all the time. I would still have a curfew. I love being able to go out when I want and stay out until whenever with no questions or explanations.

I have learned to think for myself.

When you live at home, you may think your opinions and beliefs are your own, but you are influenced more than you think. It was months of living away from home before I realized how much my parents really did have leverage on my opinions. I'm in no way discrediting my parents and what they taught me, but there is so much to be learned from other people -- especially strangers. On campus, I am exposed to a plethora of lifestyles, religions, political views and more. I have never felt more informed and comfortable with my own personal choices, and I can now say that I am doing what is best for me.

I appreciate my parents on a whole new level.

It's cliché to say it, but parents do not get the recognition that they deserve. There are so many things that my mom and dad have done for me that I have easily overlooked and taken for granted. I complained about what we were eating for dinner a good bit in high school, but my mom’s worst meal is still better that any food that I would get in the dining hall. Turns out there were several things I had no idea about. Living on campus made me learn these things quickly. I will admit I thought I had laundry down, but then I was the student that put too much soap in the washing machine and had to run it on rinse two more times. I learned that you have to leave your refrigerator door open when you leave for winter break or it becomes a wet moldy mess. I now know that when the change oil light comes on in your car, that you should know how to at least check your oil. Living on campus has allowed me to learn what to do in these situations first hand and appreciate that my parents always did these things before.

I am immersed in my education.

Last, but not least, I feel my academic progress is excelling at the highest rate possible while living on campus compared to living at home. The library is the go-to spot between classes, and if I have a question it is easy to walk down the hall and meet up with classmates. It is convenient that my professors’ offices are a quick five-minute walk away. In the evenings, when commuter students are at home, there are workshops and study groups that I am a part of. It is especially convenient when classes get hard because the night before the exam there are people to study with until the early hours of the morning.