Recently I saw an article from someone detailing the explanation of why they "didn't go to school in their backyard". Well, in the spirit of conversation and as an ode to the ole saying, "to each his own", I decided that was the perfect stepping stone for me to write about why going to school right down the road from my high school was actually the best decision I could have made.

I'd like to note that this reasoning isn't simply built on scholarship funds or the fact that I would miss my mom either, but the things I have learned by being a college student in the town where I grew up.

For those of you (which are probably the mass majority of those reading this) who don't know me, I ended up going to college in my same hometown. In fact, in one more semester, I will be graduating in the same coliseum, wearing the same school colors, as I did when I graduated high school almost four years ago.

I initially was one of those students who could not wait to go to school somewhere as far away as possible. I was determined to make my mark in another city and state, where I would be challenged and stretched and changed because I was certain, I wouldn't have any of that by going to school in my hometown.

But then the inevitable happened, and as I stepped on my current school's campus, I just knew that the right thing for me was to go to school there. I told myself that the scholarships were too good to pass up, and that it would be nice to be close to my family, but I'll admit that I was a little disappointed in myself for not going away somewhere and finding a 'real' challenge.

Well, as many of you know, you find challenges in college whether you are a million miles away, or doing online schooling in the comfort of your parent's living room. No matter where you are, college is meant to grow you and change you before you enter into the so-called "real world".

Not only did I find a challenge simply from college itself though, but from the fact that I was still in my hometown. Because I was around people I had known since middle school, and some even since kindergarten, I felt an even larger responsibility to grow into the person I wanted to be and showcase that change to them. I wanted to develop my leadership skills, my campus involvement, and continue my dedicate to scholarship.

More than anything, I wanted to be a better version of myself. Because in ten years at my high school reunion, I wanted to have something to show from my years as a collegiate scholar.

What amazed me about going to school in my "backyard" was how different the experience still was, while still giving me a sense of pride and determination. This was my hometown, and therefore, I was given the chance to encourage new students and my friends around me to love it as much as I did. I was inspired to do even more community service than I did before, so that I could give back to the community that had helped shape me and make me the person I was.

I wanted to continue to be the person my friends knew me as, but allow myself room for growth and new experiences and to gain a new perspective from being in the same place with a whole different set of circumstances.

I'm not saying going away for college is better or worse than staying in the same town. Just that I am not any less of a person than I would have been had I moved away to study for four years. I was challenged at my university. I was given opportunities of leadership, of new friendships, and of reaching over hurdles and obstacles that helped me gain wisdom and insight.

Soon, I will leave my hometown, because I feel after these four years, it is my time to move on. But I will never forget how grateful I am to have spent not only my college years, but also my adolescent years in this city I call home. I'm thankful for the nights that I was so stressed out, and I was able to drive twenty minutes and get a hug from my mom.

I'm thankful that I didn't have to say goodbye to my favorite coffee shops and my church, and I was able to visit these places in times of need of inspiration (and caffeine). I'm thankful I'll graduate wearing the same colors I did as a high school student, because they mean even more to me now.

I am so glad that life led me to stay because it taught me more than going away could have.