slo’s THURSDAY 5/18 poll - Your College Experience

[Babs Johnson]

My university was a little over an hour from home and I lived on campus. I had a great experience. I went for my MBA immediately after my Bachelor’s but lived off campus.

There was a guy in my dorm one year whose parents only lived about 10 minutes away. He rarely stayed in the dorm, maybe one night a week. I don’t know why he bothered paying for a dorm room.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I went to a very large university for undergrad, a little over 3 hours from home. I went to a little bit smaller school for grad school (but still D1, so still big), about 35 miles away, but it was in DC and I commuted, so took anywhere from 1-3 hours lol

 

[Moliphino]

I went to college about 1000 miles away (so 16ish hours driving straight through or 2.5 hours flying direct). I loved it, had an amazing time once I got past the homesickness.
I also did a summer abroad at my school's campus in France. That was AMAZING.

 

[ronandannette]

Other. I finished my degree part-time, over a number of years by accumulating credits at several different local institutions. It was fine but nothing like the “college experience” you’re talking about and I didn’t miss that part at all.

 

[loves to dive]

I didn't go to college, couldn't figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up so it seemed like a waste of money. I'm 66 years old and still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I ended up being a bookkeeper for about 40 years, just fell into it and had a knack for it.

Just about all my close family went to UGA. Daddy started out at the Savannah campus which the opposite side of the state where he grew up but he was in the Navy during WWII in the South Pacific before going to college so by then, he was used to being away from home. He transferred to the main campus in Athens around his soph. year and graduated from there. Mama started at UGA at the Athens campus, she was from the north Georgia mountains and went to UGA for two reasons - to get away from home and to find a husband. She and Daddy were married in Dec. of her first year there and she didn't go back to school. One of my brothers went to UGA, he had been in the Army before and stationed in Hawaii (I know tough) but at the time my parents and I were living in the Middle East. There really was no home town for us, we lived all over the states but all my brother's were born in Georgia and all our family lived here. My hubby went to UGA, he was from south Georgia and had never been out of his home town until he came to Athens for orientation. He loved it, got his degree (with part of his time spent in the Marine Reserves so time in SC) and stayed in Athens after he graduated. My son went to UGA. He grew up in the Athens area and there was no question in his mind he would go to UGA. He didn't want to live at home so got an apartment. He got married and went into the Navy part way through but after he got out of the Navy, he came back and finished his degree at UGA and still lives in the area. (I'm convinced UGA is part cult, most people that go there stay in Athens).

 

[CGB]

I started college at 25 after two military enlistments. I was already married with children, so I lived at home while attending local community colleges and a 4-year public university. Between work, family, and classes, it was quite the balancing act. It took longer, but I got my bachelors, masters, and then some.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Technically I went to college less than an hour from my house. It was about 30 to 45 mins depending on traffic.

First two years in the dorms last two years in an apartment. I overall liked the apartment more especially as during breaks and the summer I just stayed there as opposed to having to go back home when the dorms closed.

I had a really good experience of college overall. I liked being close enough to my home metro (where I had friends there as well) but being far enough that I had my own life completely separate.

Because of job opportunities it wasn't uncommon for me to be working back in my metro and commuting from my alma mater although I was able to work in the college town for the Halloween season at Spirit Halloween. During senior year I started working for the University and continued past graduation, once my lease was up on my apartment end of July I moved back into my mom's house and commuted back to the college town for work. That November I got a job (what I call a big girl job due to the income) back in my metro and after that I haven't really gone back to the college town except to visit my best friend or to attend sporting events for my alma mater.

 

[disneychrista]

I went to the local community college. Lived on “my own” with 2 under 5 daughters. Overall it was a good experience. I enjoy learning. I didn’t have a typical ( as seen on TV) college experience. But I graduated with high honors and was on the deans list all 5 semesters. Graduated in December. Started working in my field of study by March.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I attended a trade school for 1 year, then took night classes at a 4 year college for 2 years. I lived at home or was married and lived in my home during that time. My experience was just mediocre.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I went to college close to home, and lived with my parents. I had to drop out short of my degree after my Dad passed away because my Mom needed more money coming in and the job I had wasn't cutting it financially. So I went to work somewhere else. I was lucky enough after a time to actually have a career in my chosen field, but sometimes I wish I could go back and get that degree.

 

[AussieFan8]

I absolutely loved college. It was my dream to get to go away, and luckily, I got the scholarships to be able to do it. It was about a 3 1/2 hour drive from home. I met my husband there. Living away from home definitely made an impact on who I am today.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Given I a)commuted to college and b) my college almost closed during my sophomore year and to make up for it decided to bump everyone’s tuition up an insane amount (I know this happens in others schools but not the way it did to us-it doubled-tripled over the course of my last two years) I should’ve gone to community college for two years gotten my associates and headed out into the work force

 

[soccerdad72]

Went to undergrad college about 2 hours drive from my home. Overall, a good experience, especially since I met my future wife there. Got my MBA at a different college which was about 10 minutes from my house, which was convenient, since I was doing an evening program while working full time (and an infant/toddler at home).

My older son is about 4 1/2 hour drive away for school and my younger son will be going about 4 hours away in the fall.

 

[TCRAIG]

I chose 2 different answers - when I started college, the family house was @2hrs away but then the family moved and I was @14 hours away…

 

[mjkacmom]

I went an hour away, rarely went home and loved it. DH went 45 minutes away and loved it. My kids went 45 minutes, 1 1/2 hours, 2 hours, 4 hours, and 12 hours away. They rarely came home.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I went to the "best" school in my state - it was about 4 hours away from home and I did NOT want to go. I am an only child and was/am really close with my parents. The thought of being away from home was really upsetting to me. I went and lasted a year. I was miserable. Gained a bunch of weight, hated being away from home, etc.

I moved home and went to the university near by. I lived at home and had a wonderful time! Lots of friends on campus, loved my classes, etc.

Just goes to show that what's considered the "best" school doesn't mean it's the best school for YOU. I tell my high schoolers that ALL the time. There's so much pressure on these kids to go to X school and that if you go to Y school, you're a loser. UGH!

This is so true. DS is going to a big school and loves it. DD is going to a small school that we found after an extensive search. Deep down they are not all that different kids but the college experience could not be much more different. You have to find the fit for YOU.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I did not go to college. I hated every second of high school so I couldn’t wait to be done. Last thing I wanted to do was go to college.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I went to a community college for the first 2 years and lived at home, then transferred to a 4 year public college that was a 6+ hour drive. Enjoyed both, but glad I had the opportunity to go away for the last 2 years, which was a wonderful experience.

Slo, hope with your DD had a great first year. Enjoy your summer with her; these next few years will go by quickly.

 

[JLTraveling]

I graduated from high school at 14. Since I was so young, I went to community college next and graduated in a year. Then I took a nice long break from school and had some adventures. Went back to finish my bachelor's at 20 and married. He went back at the same time, and we lived with my parents to save money. It was okay. I wasn't really focused on the "college experience," just on ticking off that box. We had the same major and most of the same classes, and we commuted to the University of South Florida. But the Museum of Science and Industry is across the street and we had memberships. So more than once we'd end up skipping class and going to MOSI instead. Worked out okay though, we still both graduated with honors lol.

 

[Brian Noble]

2,000 miles as the crow flies. It was outstanding.

That's also a little disingenuous. My family was based in Michigan, but we took a temporary relocation to Palo Alto before my junior year of high school. My family moved back to Michigan in the summer between HS and college; I stayed behind at Berkeley. So, I had a lot of friends there with me, and it was far from "home," but not far from where I'd been living for a bit.