<p><em>this is also posted on the "College Life" board</em></p>
<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 during 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>i think going back home EVERY weekend is a bit much, and is gonna hinder your social life a bit. go back once a month or so. I'm from LA, and i average going home about once a month.</p>
<p>yea, don't go back every weekend...that would hinder your social life. I lived in the north bay, and during the first semester I would go home every 2-3 weekends...which was ok, but now I go back every month or so.</p>
<p>I had to go home every weekend for my first year and a half. Now I only go back on the breaks (winter, spring, summer). Honestly, I'm trying to do whatever I can in order not to live at home any more. And I get along well with my parents, so it's not a personal issue. I just love-love-love spending time with people my own age. SF is really easy to get to by Bart. And if you really want, you can go back on Sundays, once every two weeks, to appease your parents. That way you won't miss the Saturday nights.</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>I wouldn't even think of going home every weekend when I go to Cal. Of course, I would during the breaks cuz I only live with my mom and she misses me even when I go out for a couple of days. </p>
<p>For those of you who live in LA, how the heck do you get back home once a month??? I certainly don't think you pay for an airplane ticket. So, how??? </p>
<p>I want to go home every 2 months or so (I'm tired of LA) and a roundtrip airplane ticket is about $150 with Southwest. It would be great to know how you guys save money this way.</p>
<p>I fly home around once a month, too far to drive. Oakland to San Diego on Southwest. Friday afternoon and come back Monday at 6:30AM flight (my mom hates it.) I don't think it costs $150, I went home last weekend and it was around $100 round trip I think.
You will want to get away once in awhile. The environment at Berk is intense.</p>
<p>southwest gets WAY cheap after a while, i've already racked up a free ticket, and if you sign up for their program u get discounts all the time.</p>