As I applied to colleges as a high school senior, I dreamed of going far away, traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures. I thought I would travel to the east coast for the first time and experience a snowy winter or maybe even leave the country and develop a fun accent over my college years. Regardless, I was ready to leave Valley Village, a little nook within Los Angeles that I called home for 16 years prior. So, on May 1st, when I completely changed my mind and made a last minute decision to attend UCLA, a school that is only 45 minutes away from where I grew up, everyone was surprised, myself included. And while I thought that living so close to home would completely mess up my overhyped idea of a “college experience,” there were some aspects about living so close to home that I actually enjoyed.
- Escaping Lice
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During Winter Quarter of my first year of college, my dorm hall had a lice outbreak… And there was absolutely no way I was going to get lice in college. Therefore, that week, until I was notified that the lice were all gone, I slept at home and commuted to school. Most of those who did not have the privilege of being able to drive home did contact lice. So for me, that was one of the strongest pros I still have for living so close to home.
- Recovering From Sickness
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Being sick in college sucks, especially the first time you get extremely sick and have to fend for yourself. This was me during my first finals week at UCLA. Through this experience, I found another perk of living so close to home. Being so sick, I literally was unable to get out of bed to go to a dining hall. My amazing mother would drop off soup for me at my dorm on her way to work. It was like a free Postmates service, and I literally would not have been able to make it through finals week without living so close to home.
- Always Somewhere To Go
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I take so much comfort in knowing that if I am ever having an off day or am feeling especially lonely or stressed that I have an outlet outside of school. Sometimes I will call my mom and ask her to grab lunch, or uber home to be surrounded by the comfort of familiarity (and my dog) for a little. And while I do not go home often, the comfort of knowing that it is accessible to me if needed is especially encouraging.
- Family Expectations
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However, because I live so much closer to home than the rest of my siblings, I feel obliged to come home for all important family holidays. Do not get me wrong, I absolutely love spending time with my family, but I assumed that with going to college came the freedom of deciding when to come home.
- I Have Not Truly Had A Taste Of True Independence
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With help from my family being available through a short 30 minute drive, I am most definitely not independent. So, after college, when I do go off into the real world, past the realms of Los Angeles, I will be 50 times less prepared than my peers who have truly been independent and “adulted” in college. I’ll have to learn how to make soup myself and how to comfort myself when I feel like my world is falling apart, skills that my friends are already developing.
- Coming Home For School Holidays Does Not Feel Special
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When my sister comes home after a semester at UC Berkeley, it is a big ordeal. My family gets together, my mom buys all of my sister’s favorite food, my mom cries and my dog almost pees himself because he is so excited that Michelle is home. My sister also gets a sense of excitement and nostalgia when she comes home. However, when I come home from UCLA, I get the same exact reaction that I used to get when I came home from high school on a random day.
While I have yet to have a consensus on whether or not I enjoy going to school so close to home, I will continue to relish in all of the happiness and fulfillment I receive from being able to have an escape from my UCLA life. However, recently, I have truly found a home and community within UCLA and I feel extremely lucky to have two amazing places to feel at peace in.