About a year ago, I made the decision to go to school almost all the way across the country.

While I had options that were closer, even in-state, I spread my wings a little bit farther than most, and made the decision to go from Illinois to Massachusetts for school. While some of my peers are only thirty minutes away, able to go home on the weekends to do laundry, or even just stop by home just to say hi, I am away at school for months at a time without going home.

While I don’t necessarily need to be closer to go home and do laundry, I do occasionally feel like I made it much more difficult on myself than I needed to.

My roommate’s parents came up for the day for her birthday, as they only live about two hours away. In a day, my parents wouldn’t even be able to get here. When I moved in for the semester in the fall, I knew I wouldn’t be seeing my parents until winter break, as I wasn’t going home for Thanksgiving or any of the long weekends that semester as almost all of my friends did. Flights are expensive, and going so far for only a few days isn’t really worth it. So, I miss out on things like Thanksgiving with my family and going to my younger high school friends’ big events. I would have loved to have gone back for their senior night and in the coming weeks, go see my old team play a game, but I don’t have that option.

However, going so far away has positives, too. While being inherently independent, being so far away has made me grow up even more. I don’t have the safety net of having close family, and must live my life more independently. This independence has led to more confidence in myself and my abilities as a growing adult. Basically, this means I call and make my own doctor’s appointments now. Also positive is the idea that I am rebuilding my family away from home, in the friends that I make and the organizations that I join. Without having the option of going home, I found family in my friends and found a new home in my sorority and on my dorm floor.

The coolest part about being so far away is that I now get to learn about and make a home someplace that couldn’t be more different from where I’m originally from. I get to experience a new part of the country, meet people from radically different places, and really establish myself as separate from my parents and family. So while there are times where the homesick finally hits you, and you spend holidays away from your family, going to school 1,000 miles away makes you grow in ways you never thought you would. I have grown to like being so far away, but it’s a true weighing of pros and cons. If you’re still thinking about the decision to stay close or go far, make sure you really consider your options before making your decision.

You’ll thank yourself for it in the long run.