A home cooked meal is always a quick drive away.
Besides dining hall food only being decent on hungover Saturday and Sunday mornings, even cooking for yourself can be a drag. Calling mom to make a quick run to the store, so your favorite meal is ready when you pull in the driveway, has its benefits.

Needing the necessities can be priceless, literally.
Calling your parents and ending the conversation with, “Yeah, and I just need to go to the store to get some stuff” can work in your favor. The hopeful response is, “Okay, well I’m going to the store later today, I can pick up what you need and bring it to you.” With that, you have saved time and money.

Laundry. There is no explanation needed. I do not like doing mine either.

You become the permanent GPS.
Any drive five minutes outside the campus’ radar, the friend who lives close, supposedly has to know every road in the area to get around. And if said friend does not know one road, the phrase, “I thought you lived here” gets tossed around too loosely.

Not only are you the GPS, but also Yelp!
Every road should be in the back of your head, and every known restaurant, mall, or thrift shop in the state should have a review, direction to your destination, and price range by you.

Your mom becomes your friends mom.
After the countless dinners, family parties, and vacations you take your friends to during school, calling mom, "mom" will come out of your friend’s mouths too. Do not worry, you are still the favorite … maybe.

The parentals can make a surprise trip.

(-) Just as you were about to crack a cold one with the housemates, mom and dad yell a corny joke from the porch. Though your dad is not Chevy Chase, it can still be embarrassing.

(+) Just as you were about to lay in bed, load the third season of House of Cards, mom and dad yell a corny joke from the porch with some food for the fridge and a little pocket money for the week

Two beds in one city is not too shabby.
We all have the nights or weekends when school become overbearing, and that is the upside of two of everything. Two places to stay, two beds, two iPhone chargers, two closets and two places to clear your head.

The expectation of your return to the mothership.
Mom and dad want to see you as much as they can, and college always has a way to make you stay. We’ve all been through the conversation with mom asking, “So when are you coming home next?” and the response being, “Uhm, uh, hmm. Soon …?”

Going out and seeing your boss.
Yes, this seems specific, but think of it in more of a general aspect. You did some partying, go downtown, and end up seeing Ms. Johnson, your high school guidance counselor, a couple seats next to you at the bar. Talk about an awkward hello. I went to McDaids for a mixer and saw my boss leaving when he knew it was time to go. I still have not heard the last of it.

A sitting duck.
Going to school in the same city ties you down. Maybe your best friend went to NYU, your childhood neighbor got a scholarship to Arizona State, and your younger sister has been at school in Boston for the past two years. Staying in the same city for four or so more years limits your view on the places you go.

Better than a phone call away.
I consider close to home being better than the other. Friends have to take planes and trains to go home. My drive is a few songs away. Others see their family on Thanksgiving and major holidays. All I need is a headache or a bad day for an excuse to go home. Staying in the same city for the college years does not seem so bad, after all.