Some of us like to travel halfway across the country. Here is why:

1. You become even more proud of where you come from. Since most of your friends are coming from the same area, you take it upon yourself to act as a liaison between your hometown and your college town. You educate your friends all about special landmarks that are so important to you and familiarize them with your favorite restaurants. You also cheer on your sports teams from home even more than you ever have -- because who else is going to carry the weight of rooting for them?

2. People make fun of your accent. Which is fine, because you can throw it right back at them. Or, rather, you tell them that you add to the cultural diversity of campus, and they should be honored that they get to immerse themselves in a different culture. Yes, some people say “pop” instead of “soda.”       

3. You have to educate your parents on different areas of your school. When you go home, you have to readjust to your surroundings and explain to your parents and friends the importance of your favorite place to study or what the best bar is for Thirsty Thursdays. And when you see someone with a bumper sticker from your school, you wish you could pull them over and talk to them about everything to do with school. But, alas, you resist your creepy urges.

4. The airport becomes your home away from home. You come to learn which places are best for hanging out and doing homework before your flight, and how to gauge what the airport will be like at different times of the day. I always look forward to my Dunkin' outside of the United Airlines terminal at Reagan National Airport. The airport becomes almost like a comfort, because the anticipation of going back to school is the best, and the anticipation of going home and seeing your family is even better.  

5. Your best friends’ parents adopt you for family-related events. Your parents can’t make the family weekend at your sorority house? No problem. Your best friends' parents are there to adopt you when your own can’t hop on a plane. Having a second family at school is incredibly helpful in keeping you from feeling homesick, and it makes going to school a world away that much better.

6. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You cannot go home whenever you want. And, yes, you take a plane when everyone else hops in the car. But you have your whole life to live in your hometown, and college is the time to go anywhere you want  -- which only gives you another reason to be adventurous. A whole new place awaits. Don’t forget to take it in while you can!