A huge hole of free time and budgetary room!

I honestly don't know how I'll feel when mine move out, but with a 17 year old and a 13 year old.....man I am so excited that the older one is finally taking an interest in college. Both because I'd like to have my own life at some point that isn't chained to every whim of a child, but also because I honestly figured he'd just given up on school, which would be pretty tragic. I never went to college, and my life's been a brawl for survival against debt and time. I've been in a decent place for a few years now, but it would've been so much easier if I'd been able to hack college.....unfortunately my parents never really put me in a good position to do that (pulled me out of public school after 9th grade and put me in a real shit situation, plus I basically lived by myself 90% of the time after my parents divorced) and the realities of life came sooner than later with my dad kicking the bucket when I was 21.

Be proud you didn't make those mistakes, and put him out on the right path, man. It's no minor accomplishment on your part. It's his turn to take the reins and decide what he wants to do with his life, and it sounds like he's making the right choices.