<p>So my parents (especially mom) have been wanting me to stay close to home for college. If I go far (which I wanna do for the opportunities), I'm afraid it'll break her heart since she's devoted her whole life to raising us kids. What should I do?</p>
<p>Awww, I don’t think you’ll break her heart! Going to college is a big accomplishment but it’ll be something for her to get used to if you do go away. My advice would be to break it to her lightly and just tell her it has better opportunities in the future. And I wouldn’t go hours and hours away. My college is an hour and a half away, that way I can have my independence but I’m close enough to home if something happens or I get really homesick.</p>
<p>Perhaps you could research your options and find the perfect balance with a school that’s distant, but not too far away from home. </p>
<p>When I was applying I wanted to go 4 hours away from home. My parents didn’t have any say in my decision but I know they wanted me to stay as close as possible. They were preparing for me to go to a distant school and supported me. I got into some great schools that were far away from home and I also got into schools that were a 20 minute drive from home. Ultimately, I decided to stay local, my school is only a few minutes away. I chose my university because it was the most affordable and although it is close I can live on campus. There are some advantages to staying close, my biggest advantage is being able to come to a home cooked meal whenever I want to. </p>
<p>Simply, just look at all of your choices and explore them well before making a decision.</p>