My sense is it's a good idea to separate college as a place where you take classes and can get a degree from college as a lifestyle choice. While living at home

My sense is it's a good idea to separate college as a place where you take classes and can get a degree from college as a lifestyle choice. While living at home and later with a friend, I went to a community college after high school, that my family paid a nominal amount for, and transferred to a UC from there that was entirely covered by Pell/Cal grants until graduation. No debt required. Had I gone straight to a 4-year from high school, lived at the school, and made it a lifestyle as opposed to someplace I go to take classes, then I likely would have graduated with a significant amount of debt.