<p>I live in San Francisco and will be attending Cal Berkeley this coming Fall. I am currently urged very much by my family to come back home during the weekends, but I'm having my doubts about this. For one thing, I know and understand the value of being with family throughout college, but at the same time there's this preconceived notion in my head of this college life that I envision where one lives on campus and gets into the student scene and life there. </p>
<p>So the question I'm asking is how much does going back home each week impact the enjoyment of the "college life"? Perhaps someone can suggest me a kind of plan I can use to work towards fulfilling both of these obligations (just curious to see what people in CC would think). Anyone who does commute, please tell me how it is working out for you. Thanks.</p>
<p>It's one thing to go back every weekend and entirely another to go back once in a while.</p>
<p>I had plenty of friends in HS who went to the nearby state college which was about a 40 minute drive (I have no idea how far Berkeley is to SF or more particularly your house). Most of them would go home to run errands and stuff, but it was close enough that they could make the trip two or three times in a weekend if they absolutely needed to. If you're faced with a similar distance, you should be able to find some sort of happy medium where maybe you go home Saturday afternoon, but drive back that evening so you can hit up the big party or sporting event on campus. You should also try to explain to your parents that coming home every weekend is not feasible - I really think that is a bad idea, a recipe for disaster...you need to have the time and space to mature and be on your own. If you go home every weekend you will miss out on a lot of what college life has to offer.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. </p>
<p>For future reference, to drive from Berkeley to San Francisco on a weekend night (Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights) would take upwards to more than an hour because of the congestion between there and San Francisco on the bridge especially, though it is possible to take a subway from one to another for around 45 minutes.</p>
<p>I go home pretty often on weekends, but not every single one...and I live an hour away from my school. I would say going home every single weekend is too much...I did this in the beginning of the year and definitely felt that I was missing out on meeting more people/hanging out with people on my floor...especially if you have a busy schedule during the week, weekends are really your chance to spend time with people and get to know them.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I do think that going home every 2 or 3 weeks is a good idea...it's nice to get away from campus once in awhile and spend time with family. My family is really close, so I go home every 2 weeks or so to see them. </p>
<p>So I would suggest going home every other weekend or every 3 weeks...that way you get to experience college life and see your family too.</p>
<p>Hey guys! An update!</p>
<p>I realized just how much I've been overthinking this subject. Berkeley is a 40 minute subway ride away. I can come back, spend some time, and get back on the same day within the same amount of time as it would take for someone to get from UC Davis to SF and back without spending time there at all!</p>
<p>Dear God, and to think I was fretting over this subject the whole day and being mildly emo about it. I kept thinking that just by going back home I was to commit my entire weekend when little did I know that it would be a very little time sacrifice.</p>
<p>you need to talk with your folks and see what they have in mind by come back. My guess is they don't mean drop by to say hello, they're thinking get there Fri nite and go back to school Sunday evening.</p>
<p>To be honest, ucla might have been a better choice for you since you could have gotten away from your family and yet been close enough to easily come home on holidays, breaks, etc. A lot of college is not the classes, its getting to know the people, trying new things, spreading your wings a bit. Spending weekends at home is not the way to do this!</p>
<p>i live in the east bay and decided against berkeley. it was TOO close (but there were other things i didn't like about it).
long story short, i don't go home much at all. winter break and spring break and one random weekend fall quarter, plus future memorial day weekend, will be it.
so i think it's great to have the OPTION to be able to go home at the drop of a hat. for you, it won't take a month's planning to get great airfare, or bum a ride up with a friend who has a car (since i can't yet rent a car), or spend a day each way on amtrak.
all you have to do is take BART. forget something? go back and get it. or just stay for a day, then go back to school. occasionally it might be nice to spend the WHOLE weekend home, but since you're so close, it's not like you have to.
so be glad you have the option of going home easily. just remind yourself (and your parents) that you don't need to actually exercise it every saturday! :)</p>
<p>u should listen to ur parents. i mean u're not fully independent financially are u? at some point u will need their help and u want to continue ur relationship with them so that they will be more prepared to support. if u alienate them, than u alienate their potential to support.</p>
<p>and if you never leave them for an extended period of time they'll never realize how much they miss you =P</p>
<p>Haha, the drive to my high school was an hour.</p>
<p>Yeah, you can easily go back and forth several times a weekend, as needed, or even pop home during the week if you really needed something.</p>
<p>I would say every other week or every 3 weeks seems cool to me.
Going home is kind of time consuming, but is good to spend some time with family.</p>
<p>omg...i know exactly what you're talking about. I cherish the whole campus life, social scene, and have to admit, don't ALWAYS want to be with my family..what else are summer, fall and spring breaks for? :-)</p>
<p>If you're close enough I highly recommend going home for errands duties, maybe a meal with your parents, and go back the same day.</p>
<p>Going home every single weekend wouldn't be a great idea...once every three weeks sounds good, as someone mentioned above. </p>
<p>A lot of people BART home on the weekends from berk, especially for clubbing. In moderation, going home won't affect your social life.</p>
<p>I'm going to college about 15 minutes away from home. </p>
<p>...I don't plan on /ever/ visiting my family, except for Thanksgiving and winter break.</p>
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