Staying home or going away?

For the longest time I thought that I was only going to apply to colleges that were away from home...until this year. Throughout my high school years I researched majors and minors, activities, dorm life, and campuses for multiple colleges and thought that maybe the 'getting away from home college experience' was right for me. This year I thought about it more carefully and realized that there were so many oppourtunies for me here on Long Island and that there were plenty of beautiful schools with great programs available. I also thought that there's no reason for me to go away now. I'm most definatley not one of those people that NEEDS to get away from their family and is dying for a way out of their home town. I love Long Island and I love my family. I'm excited to find a school here and stay home next fall, I'll still be with my family in my own bed and with my own dogs, it's still possible for me to make new friends and experience college life if I go somewhere that has dorming and I know people that are a part of it.
I've realized that the argument of going away or staying home for your first year of college is yes, a big one, but there isn't a right or wrong answer. Everyone does what is best for them and I am pretty convinced that staying home is what is right for me.