Last year was my freshman year and yes, even though I live two hours away from my college I went home every weekend. I wrote an article about why I went home last year. Personally, I do not care if you think that college is meant for independence, parties, making friends and living on your own because let me enlighten you.

Independence is a key factor in life, and yes, I go home every weekend but that doesn't make me less independent. In fact, I'm just as independent here at college as I am at home. I do things for myself and pay for my own things. I do not rely on my parents for that stuff because I am capable of doing it on my own, I will be 20 years old in October of this year. I have always been independent since high school.

Also, I did not come to college to party. I would never pay 14,000 dollars a year just to party, if anything, that is insane. I came to college to get an education and to learn. I feel like that should be the goal when signing up to go to college. I have never been a party person either so that is just out of my element. Quite frankly, that is all college kids do on the weekends is party.

Making friends in college is actually an important part but people seem to think that just because I go home on the weekends I cannot make friends. This is absolutely false, I can make friends during the week.

There is just enough time to make friends on a week day just as there is on the weekends. Leaving to go home on the weekends does not cause you to miss anything except parties, if you are one of those people.

Living on your own is the college experience and it's great at times. But sometimes it gets boring because it is really just you and your roommate. Going home there are more people around and more people to talk to.

There is always something to do and something that needs to be done. Going home every weekend still does not take away from the "living on your own" experience. I get that experience during the week, where I also take care of my responsibilities as a college student. I have my whole life to "live on my own" and at this time I do not choose to "live on my own" on the weekends here at college.

So here is the scoop, I do not think you should be able to tell me that I should not go home because I am missing out on the independent factor, making friends and living on my own while being in college. I balance my life out to where my family plays a big part and my schooling to get me further in life is the other big part.

It is truly the best of both worlds and I would not trade it for the anything. So this topic is no longer debatable with me because I will tell you how wrong you are for shooting down my journey of going home every weekend.

It's my life, not yours.