Going to an all-girls catholic high school that was extremely competitive and elitist, picking a college was hard. There was an unsaid expectation to go away to an expensive college, move out and do things for yourself. So when I decided to stay home for college, for several different reasons, the school, and my classmates weren't necessarily beaming with pride.

For the first two years I attended CSI, I hated my decision and regretted it every day. Why didn’t I go away? Why didn’t I choose to move out of my house, get some independence, meet some new people? What was I thinking?

I missed my friends who had gone away to college, I was tired of seeing how happy people were living on their own on social media. I had a bad case of FOMO and was thoroughly convinced I had made a big mistake in my life.

Now I’m a senior and about to graduate in a few weeks. Looking back with some perspective, I think I was crazy to regret my decision. The past few years have been filled with memories of my friends and I doing crazy things. Drinking too much at a bar, helping each other stumble home. Going to concerts, hanging out at each other’s houses. Spending winter and spring breaks together, planning road trips that never happen and spending way too much money on food.

I made close friends with coworkers, who I never would have met or had the pleasure of knowing if I moved away. I would have missed so many family milestones: weddings, birthdays, and holidays. I would have missed my mom’s cooking.

If I had gone away, I would have missed out on all of these wonderful memories I have with these people now. I wouldn’t have made such close and strong friendships with my amazing group, and while I’m sure I would have found a squad to roll with had I gone away, I don’t want a new squad.

Going away for school is great and very liberating, I’m sure. But there’s something to be said about staying home as well. It gets a bad rep sometimes, especially on Staten Island. People, including myself, get wrapped up in what they’re missing and they forget to appreciate what they have already.

I wouldn’t trade all my memories and experiences with my friends to have a going away college experience. Personally, I couldn’t imagine my college experience going any other way.