Cut the OP some slack. This is a totally reasonable and rational question question for someone who grew up in NJ, since that is all the OP knows. MegaMetalHead, a lot of us who grew up in NJ could not wait to get the heck out of dodge. That was the natural reaction for many NJ natives I know. Among 8 children in my family and my cousin 's family who grew up in NJ, only 1 lives there. We all grew up in pretty and wealthy parts of the state. And you could not pay any of us enough money to go back.
So support those who want to stay closer to home and be grateful you have the chance to go to school in another part of the country. You will suffer some culture shock and grow as a person in unexpected ways but hopefully you will come to love it. Your desire to leave is not crazy and do not concern yourself with other people’s choices.