by Minute Major

Created on: June 16, 2010

College can be one of the most exciting, stressful, and amusing experiences of ones’ life, but one thing for certain is that it will remain a memory for a lifetime. It is the time that many young adults learn independence as they set off on their own in the uncharted waters of college days; a time when the future of the country learn skills in and outside the classroom, improving their lives and the world around them. A social community of enthusiastic pre-adults, college provides a chance for anyone to make life-long friends and create memories that last a lifetime; but commuting students may be missing out on the great opportunities college life offers.

To get the most out of the college experience, it is necessary not only to go away to college, but to be involved on campus. Living in an on-campus dorm for the first year or two is recommended because it offers great opportunities to become involved with a plethora of activities offered by college. Dorms not only offer a home for the remaining school year, a place to study for too many hours, a place to sleep for too few hours, but also the grounds where social interaction and growth is inevitable. Getting to know your roommates, suitemates, and floor-mates takes time, but these soon-to-be friends will be the ones who get you through the toughest times of the year, through overwhelming coursework and life dilemmas.

The classroom may be a great place to meet people, but time spent outside the classroom tends to lead to strong friendships with peers and leads to experiences that make the college days the best days of ones life. While it’s not impossible to make friends commuting to school each day, you will miss out on the close community feel of fellow classmates and may regret being trapped behind this social barrier.

Going away to college also allows a teenager, fresh out of high school, to learn some responsibility by being independent. Being without direct support from parents forces a teen to adapt to the world of self-dependence, and truly brings out the best of one’s abilities in doing so. Students must learn to seek help from others, when difficult challenges arise, rather than rely on the assistance of the parent.

Going away to college may also be more practical than commuting. Living on campus is a great way to save money otherwise spent on transportation. Walking to class each day not only saves gas money, but also makes being on time for class much easier. Crawling through traffic,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>