why the crap do I have to travel almost 600 miles to go to a school with a peace studies program?

Are Southerners war mongers or something? Looks like I'm going to go to Manchester College in North Manchester, Indiana--probably fall 2007. North Manchester is a little bitty town, but it's only 2 hours from Chicago which is pretty much the greatest thing ever. The bad thing is that it's 600 miles from home and I have to live on campus, so I can't take my cat (or Malachi). Let me just say--my parents think I'm nuts, and may or may not choose to support me in this. So--I might have to get a real job and save all my money to go there...we'll see.