<p>Remember that your friends who are putting you down may be facing insecurities and fears of their own and using you as a springboard. If they can denigrate your “close to home” experience, theirs become more attractive. I hear a lot of fear in your friend’s comment that she will change and you will not - she fears the changes, she hopes you will be an anchor to her old community… (never mind that you have your own wonderful future independent of her need for a home base!)
Don’t forget that the vast majority of people don’t go to the “average” CC college - they work their way through the local state U and go on to great things aftward. My H and I graduated from a university that is never on these boards, but have had great success in careers and life.</p>