It's always bittersweet when summer draws to an end, not only because of the extended, warm days are no longer, but because for most, it means that classes will begin soon. For me, returning to college doesn’t have the same associations that often come to mind when one thinks of the word “college.”
Returning to school, for a majority of students, means packing up their rooms and stuffing what belongings they can into a limited number of boxes. It means saying goodbye to parents, siblings, and family pets, and either climbing into a car or aboard a plane to another destination.
This yearly ritual isn’t one that I partake in, owning to the fact that I didn’t go far away for college. In fact, my college is no more than ten minutes away from home.
Generally, most students I know want to travel as far away from home as possible, either for the newly found freedom that comes with it, or simply for a new location to call home for four years. While I can understand the appeal to such prospects (I applied to several college outside the state of Oregon), there are a few perks to living at home.
Because the relationship I have with my parents a strong one, remaining at home while I go to school means that I don’t have to purchase all of my meals, nor I am required to pay an additional fee for room and board or rent in a nearby apartment off campus. College is expensive enough as it is.
Dorm life is often considered a large element in the college experience, and understandably so. It seems as though it is in the dorms that most new friends are found. They’re one of the few spots on campus that aren’t strictly related to classes, labs, or offices.
However, residing in a dorm does mean having to share a bathroom, showers, and closet space, which I don’t necessarily envy. Instead, I have the opportunity to sleep in my own bed and eat a home cooked meal. It also offers another place to study to avoid the sea of students who flood the library during finals week.
Being a commuter means that I’m not confined to the campus. While commuting to and from campus has its pros and cons, there is something liberating about having the option to leave.
Commuting means I have different association with school than most. I view my college as a school and community, a place where I can spend time with friends, but not a place where I live. Choosing to live at home does mean sacrificing a certain access to social interaction often found in dorms or being constantly on campus, but this is easily found elsewhere in clubs and on-campus events.
College is often referred to as “the best years of your life.” Perhaps this is because it is during this period of one’s life where students are able to discover what it is they want to do. Perhaps it’s because of the freedom, opportunity to try new things, or the friends that one makes.
Do I feel as though I'm missing out on having a true "college experience?" The answer is: not really. Because, whether it’s far away, or just around the corner, college is a unique opportunity that I'm lucky to have.
A friend once told me that it doesn’t matter where you go to college, because college is what you make of it.
