Do you like living at home with your parents? Do they give you all the freedom that you want? If you answered “yes” to both of these questions then you probably will not want to leave home to go and experience the college life, however, most of you probably answered “no” to at least one of these questions.

The college experience is so much more than just an academic education that will help you become successful in the future; it holds answers to many unanswered questions about yourself.

College life gives you an intense introduction to the real world and how it works. It teaches you the essentials of life; what you’re going to need in order to really survive in the world that revolves around independence and greed.

By going away to college, you receive the opportunity to get away from parental control and explore the world on your own. You learn how to make your own decisions and live with the benefits or consequences you get from your choices.

As you start to receive letters of acceptance and/or rejections from different colleges and universities, you will be asked questions as to why you want to attend college to pursue a higher level of education. Why do you want to go to college? The answer is simple.

Going to a college far away from home gives you a chance to start all over and in a totally new environment. “It’s a great way to start a new era in your life,” said senior Ben Cherian. By interacting with a wider variety of people who hold different interests and beliefs, being faced with new experiences and having to deal with them by yourself, you will truly be able to figure out who you are and what exactly you are looking for in life.

“College is a time of rapid change and growing up,” said senior Sara Pritchard, who will be attending East Carolina University. Meeting new people, experiencing new things and allowing these things to change or make you stick with your beliefs are the best things about going to college.

Living at home while attending college causes you to constantly depend on your parents. You subconsciously allow them, or some even expect them to do things such as provide you with food, money, and shelter, and to do your laundry so you can “concentrate” on your work. However, we all know that we only want more of this time so we can go out and party.

You already let your parents guide your life for 18 years, how many more do you want them to take care of? College is the perfect opportunity to get your act straight and learn how to take care of yourself. It prepares you to become an adult, something everyone must face sooner or later, so why not just do it sooner by attending a college far away from home?