Ah, so I take it he has chosen Cal? Congrats! We are in the exact same boat (actually I just Google mapped it and it’s - gasp - 4.5 miles for us. Practically across the state!). D had fully intended to live at home all four years, but at the last minute decided - in part at our urging - to live in a dorm for the first year to meet people and have a more traditional college experience.
I saw advice on another thread that the student should make it a goal to not go home at all for at least the first month in order to fully immerse in college life. That might be good advice - but I think D will miss her dog too much to stay completely away for that long 