By Jessica Salerno
Deciding whether or not to stay close to home can be tricky. Is staying close to your family a benefit or a distraction? Will you love living far away or get too homesick? If you’re trying to decide between an in-state and an out-of-state school, take a look at some of the advice these collegiettes had to offer about both.
Out-Of-State SchoolsThe drive (or plane ride) can oftentimes be a bummer, and when you’re missing Mom’s cooking you can’t just pop over for dinner when you feel like it. But getting introduced to new surroundings is a great thing, and you can learn a lot about yourself by living in a different environment.
Con: Rooting against your beloved home team. You grew up watching your favorite sport and bleeding their colors and have been to all of their games. Not being home to attend games or watching them play your new school can leave you with mixed emotions! “I've been a Florida Gator all my life, and it's really hard to root against them in sports, especially because Vanderbilt and UF are both in the SEC. I'm not gonna lie- I will sometimes wear my UF sports bra underneath my Vandy shirt at games!” -Stacey Oswald, Vanderbilt University ‘15
Pro: Living completely on your own. It can be easy to lean on family when you need something, so living farther away can help you build more independence. “I knew that eventually I might get a job somewhere across the country or even out of the US, so getting the experience [of living on my own] in college was important to me.” -Elizabeth Schmitt, Mount Holyoke College ’15.
Con: Distance from friends and family. Perhaps the biggest concern for most students, the farther away you are from you’re family, the harder it is to see them regularly. “Travel time [is a con], especially when you need your family most,” says Rachel Lytle, Pennsylvania State University ’13.
Pro: More career opportunities. Certain areas of the country are better for your future career than you might be able to get by staying in-state. “There are so many opportunities here that I just couldn't get in North Carolina,” says Mary Bryce Hargis, University of Southern California ’14.
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