When it seems every other friend is moving away from home, it can be easy to feel left out if your family can’t afford for you to go somewhere other than a community college, or if you’ve chosen to attend one. There are so many positives to living at home, though, and if you have the right attitude, you can enjoy the experience and thrive in the environment.
Home cooking: You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving break to enjoy a home-cooked meal!
Comfy bed: There’s no sleeping on uncomfortable beds and longing for a good night’s sleep on your own bed, because you’ll be getting that every night.
Emotional support: Your family will be right there to cheer you on and support you when you need it. They’ll see you every day and will know when something’s wrong.
Nearby friends: Since most of the people attending your school will be from the same area, they won’t leave to go home on breaks, and they won’t run out of money and move back home; most already are home!
Easy scheduling: Instead of trying to cram scheduling for the next semester during finals, you can drive to campus at your leisure during breaks and avoid the crowds in the admissions office.
Work: You can keep the job you already have, and if you’re a loyal worker, they’ll likely work around your schedule each quarter as class times change. Plus you won’t have to look for a seasonal job every time you come home on breaks – you can just ask your boss to up your hours for a few weeks.
Money: Since you won’t have to pay a lot of money for dorm rooms, food plans, and eating out, you can use that money to pay for classes and books, thus avoiding huge student loans to pay off after graduation.
I attended a community college, and it was a great experience for me. I loved living a few minutes away from school, and making friends close to my town. I enjoyed meeting various family members in my school cafeteria for lunch, and I liked being able to stay on campus to study in between classes (going home to watch TV isn’t so tempting when you have to drive several minutes each way!).
Community colleges may not be everyone’s top choice, but they can definitely have a positive impact on people’s lives, and the same degree can be obtained for a fraction of the price. If money is an issue, consider attending a school near your town, at least until you have most of your prerequisites out of the way.
In the end, where we went to college won’t even matter. All that will matter is that we’re Christians and lived our lives in obedience to God, sharing His love with as many people as possible. Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”
– Davonne Parks
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