"So how's college?" I get asked almost every time I visit home. From parents, grandparents, former high school classmates and teachers, everyone seems to be curious. This question always prompts me to think about it more deeply. I guess you could say it's the Virgo in me, but boy do I love to over-analyze every last thing that anyone in the world has ever said. All of the normal thoughts start going through my mind. "Am I spending too much money?" "Have I made enough friends?" "Am I really learning anything valuable?" And that's just the thing, all of these are valid thoughts, and they are normal thoughts.

Coming to the University of Oregon was a huge change for me. Although I am a born and raised Oregonian, I grew up about two hours north near Portland in a small farm town. It's the type of place where everyone knows everyone, most people have gone to school there for their entire lives, and many had parents that had even gone to school there. It's a fairly tight-knit community, and every time I go back I swear I see at least five people from my graduating class around town.

Seeing people that I graduated with still working the same job they had in high school and possibly going to a local college always prompts another thought in my head: How weird is it that for the past two years (since I graduated from high school), there are people that have been working and living and doing the same thing since high school? This is in no way a judgmental thought, but a serious reflection of my own life. I think about all of the new people I have met, many from out-of-state, and everything I have learned simply from going away from my hometown and forcing myself to meet new people. I'm not ignorant, though. I know that many families simply cannot afford to help their child pay for college (the price is outrageous!) and many students do not want to take out loans. That is more than understandable to me.

I also do not want to take away from the fact that there are many people I went to high school with who are still going to school and doing everything I am doing, all while living at home. This is an amazing way to do it since they are saving way more money than I am (it hurts to think about), but I can't help but feel grateful I did choose to push myself and get out of my comfort zone.

In the end, a hometown is a bubble that is important to pop at some point. No, it does not necessarily have to be when you're 18 and graduated, but will you ever really leave if you wait until you're 25 and settling down? Going away has taught me so much about life, people and money, and I've actually learned a little bit too! College is a land of opportunities and if you get lucky, you just might find the right one.

College is worth it, and I would encourage anyone who is thinking about it to take the plunge. The worst that can happen is you absolutely hate it and move back home. You're never gonna have the regret of not trying it, and if you stick it out, I believe you'll make some lifelong friends and memories. Not to be cheesy, but you only live once, so push yourself and go explore!