During high school, I always thought that I would venture to another state for college. Toward the end, I realized how lucky I am to live in such an amazing town and figured why not stay here for school? The University of Colorado is closer to my house than my high school so naturally, everything thinks that I am a homebody. I definitely considered going to schools that are outside of Colorado, but I am so happy I stayed. Of course, it is a little strange to look out of my college dorm room and see my high school (I’m not kidding I can actually see it), but there are so many benefits to being in the place where you grew up. There are some small perks.
All the college shirts that I have compiled over the last couple years are still getting good use. I also don’t have to find a new doctor or dentist, but there are bigger things about going to school in my hometown that are so great.
Almost every day, I see someone that I knew from high school. Having some familiar faces around is not the end of the world. It is often said that going to college with a lot of people you know will prevent you from making any new friends and that is just not the case. I am friendly to the people that I see, but none of the people who went to my high school are in my college friend group. At the same time, it is really nice to walk from class to class and wave or catch up with people that I know. It makes it feel like a community, and I always know that there are people to hang out with.
There is a terribly common misconception that going to college in your hometown means that everything will be exactly the same. College is an experience unlike anything else, no matter where you go. One of the biggest things in college that high school doesn’t have is Greek life. It is totally worth a shot to rush because being in a sorority is such a good and unique experience. That alone makes college feel really different.
Another perk that I didn’t even think about until I got to school is that I am never lost. I hate being lost more than anything and staying in town, I never will be. I get to show all of my new, out-of-state friends where everything is and how to get to the places they need to go.
Going in-state means having access to a car, which is the best escape from school, roommates, and boring Saturdays. Getting to use a car every once in awhile is so nice because it’s almost the only possible way to get some alone time. Everywhere you go in college is flooded with people, so getting a break is really relaxing. Also driving home to a home cooked meal is pretty much the greatest thing of all time. Food from the dining halls gets old fast and you don’t know how much you love your mom’s cooking until you go to school for a while then get to go home again.
Being close to your family is really nice, and not just for the home cooked meals. Families are constantly there for support, a lunch date, or bringing you everything that you forgot at home when you moved out. It’s especially nice for the first couple of months after moving because it’s easy to get the things you forgot to bring and bring home all the other things home that you ended up not needing.
One of the things that I didn’t even think about when I started at CU, was that every college has different breaks. Some schools start really late into to fall because they are on the quarter system and some start mid-August, which means kids move to their schools in the first couple weeks of August. The absolute greatest part of going to school in my hometown is that whenever my friends come home, I am here. I might still have school during the time that they are here visiting their families, but there is always time to hang out. I can’t imagine going to a school where my best friends and I have different breaks and completely miss each other by one week.
Going in-state really is the best. I thought that I knew all about Boulder, but CU really is its own little bubble. Being at college is what’s important, no matter where it is; so make the most of it, and don’t go home every weekend; try something that you couldn’t do in high school. No matter where you go, it’s good to try to treat your school like it is out of state so that you get the most out of your experience and can become independent all on your own. It’s different for everyone, but staying in Colorado the best thing that I could’ve decided.
