One of the most common questions I’m asked about my choice to go to Flagler is if I chose it because it’s close to home. My answer? Sort of. Flagler has so many qualities that factored into my choice: it’s small class sizes, excellent Psychology, and Communication programs, the fact that it’s close to the beach. Not to mention the fact that it's in the heart of Saint Augustine, a place I’ve visited yearly as long as I can remember. The fact that my dream school was close to home was just a plus.

My hometown of Ocala is only about an hour and a half drive from Saint Augustine. I always explain it as far enough that my parents aren’t constantly popping in and I can have some independence, (Sorry, Mom. Love you.) but close enough that I can still go home when I need a good home cooked meal not made with a George Foreman grill and a microwave. But of course, there are a couple advantages and disadvantages of living close to home.

One of the main advantages is being close to my family. I have my main support system close to me. If I start feeling overwhelmed or in need of a break I can go home for a couple days, which would be more difficult if I lived farther away. My parents are some of my closest friends. Having the ability to drive home when I want to hang out and aggravate them a little is great. My sister and my best friend from high school are both still in my hometown too. In one-weekend trip home, I can come home spend some time with my family over a home-cooked meal – preferably my mom’s chicken pot pie – do some laundry for free, then go catch a movie or get a drink with my sister or best friend.

Going to school near home also meant that I somewhat knew my way around Saint Augustine. I’ve visited countless times and knew what to expect and somewhat knew the area. I knew the history and the general downfalls of Saint Augustine including the mass amounts of tourists and small school children visiting on field trips. Being familiar with the area helped me settle in better.

The main disadvantage I see with living close to home is that I don’t have as strong of a feeling of independence as some of my peers who came from farther away. They get to see their families fewer times than I do. They have support systems here with friends, but they don’t have as much help from their parents as I do usually. I feel like they are probably more independent than me.

I’m happy I chose Flagler. There are advantages and disadvantages to any choice and the ones that came with my dream school are pretty easy to tolerate. I love Flagler and I’m lucky that I get to live in the beautiful Saint Augustine.