Now that my first semester of college is coming to a close, I've come to love the fact that I decided on Fredonia, a school only 45 minutes away from my home. I was very unsure of how I would adjust to college life, but choosing a school kind of close to home has proven to be the best decision for me. Obviously there are thousands of reasons why I'm happy at my school, but here are the 5 perks of going away to a school close to home.

You can go home on the weekends, or even a weekday, if need be.

I always feel bad when I hear my friends talking about how they're homesick or how they wish they could go home for a weekend, but they just live too far. It makes me especially grateful for the fact that I can basically drop everything and leave whenever I need to.

You can take your friends to your town or city and show them all the coolest spots.

Nothing is more fun than showing off the place you were born and raised in, especially to people who have never seen it before. Being able to spend a day eating at the best restaurants you know and visiting locally "famous" landmarks with your out-of-town friends is really exciting.

Your family can come to you in a heartbeat.

Maybe you wouldn't ever want your parents to drop in at your school, but it's very comforting to know that my family could come to me almost immediately if I ever needed it. If I ever need them, my parents will be there for me, and for that I'm especially thankful.

Your friends from home are close enough to come spend a weekend.

Showing off your school to your friends from your hometown is even more fun than showing off your hometown to your college friends. Planning out a weekend at your with a friend you've known forever is so fun, and the weekend itself is sure to be interesting.

You don't have to leave your local food and stores.

Maybe you'll still have to drive a bit to go to your favorite local restaurant or grocery store, but they'll still be in close proximity to your school. Not having to completely give up your local faves is definitely one of the best feelings in the world.

I'm so happy I decided to go to a college close to home. I'm learning how to be successful on my own, but I can still go home whenever I really need to. By choosing Fredonia, I definitely have the best of both worlds and I couldn't be happier.