<p>After my first freshman semester last year, I moved back in state to live with my parents due to financial trouble. It's been a much more pleasant college experience in comparison to dorms. Now that I'm home I have better food, my car, better weather, I can continue my hobbies and I also have the comfiest bed ever. :)
A lot of my friends that moved out of state say they feel bad for me. They expected me to be here temporarily. I honestly can say that I'm more happy in my current situation. While in NY I would have thousands of dollars in debt with ever passing semester, here I have thousands of dollars accumulating for myself coming from grants and scholarships. They say the "college life" is worth the cost and debt. To be honest, I don't think that is true. I think I'll have more than enough time to go out and have fun once I graduate college at 21 without any debt. Their response is that I'm in denial or a "mommas boy" and that I'm just really great at convincing myself that the current situation, whenever it is, is the best one. However I have a barrier with my parents, they're not the helicopter type. They leave me alone, and I leave them alone and not cause trouble so it's worked out great so far.</p>
<p>So I’m assuming you switched colleges? It’s fine to do what you’re doing, but many people see the college experience as the best time of their lives, and their social life and partying goes downhill from there due to jobs, families, people moving etc. People after college, from what I heard, tend to be more career oriented.</p>
<p>Was there no state school you could live at? Did you not have financial aid?</p>
<p>If you don’t think they’re right, then they aren’t. You’re right, you’ll have plenty of time to live “the life” when you graduate debt free. Getting wasted on the weekends, dorming, etc, is not worth thousands of dollars in avoidable debt.
When you’re living life after college and they’re forced to move back home or to survive on Ramen after college just to pay back their loans, they’ll know who was right.</p>
<p>Perhaps they are a little jealous you have a decent life with your parents, and more perks (privacy, your own bed, all of your stuff available without moving back and forth, etc.). There is nothing wrong with what you are doing if you are happy. They don’t sound like decent friends if they’re trying to make you feel bad about your situation. The debt is NOT worth the experience in most cases unless your family has the money to dish out for it (which I assume is not the case since you said you’d have the debt after graduating). </p>
<p>I think the tables will turn after college for some of them. You will be able to afford to move out and spend money on nice things, while they will barely be able to pay on their loans and may, as a result, have to move back home. Then you can tell them how sorry you feel for them :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the support I fully agree with you guys. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t just acting like a total loser here.</p>
<p>You are right in my opinion. I moved back home for academic reasons and I was not comfortable with the debt I would’ve had from living in the dorms. I also was not comfortable putting my parents in debt for my education. I now go to a school 2nd largest in my state, which was known as a commuter school. I think it still is but they are getting more students to stay in the area. </p>
<p>My only complaint is I have to share a car with another person, and I have to ride the bus during fall, and spring so I have a time limit on how long I can stay on campus. Some of the clubs I want to join don’t meet until 7pm, but the last bus leaves at like 8:30 or 9pm. I also a have to plan my courses around siblings courses so that we are on campus at the same time because of work schedules. I got a job for the summer through school, and I love it but I may end up leaving because in the fall it will be harder. I hate that I will only be there for 3 months. One last complaint would be my parents. We don’t have the best relationship and we all get frustrated with each other often. </p>
<p>I just remind my friends that while I may not be have the normal college experience at least I know I will have the chance to move away to the location I want, and start a new life like they did. It maybe harder for me to make friends once that happens but it’s a trade off. I may also have less debt than my friends or their parents which makes me happy. Even though that topic is between family and not necessarily friends or relatives.</p>
<p>You’re definitely the right one in this situation.</p>
<p>You’re happier AND in a better financial situation? That’s like the golden combination.</p>
<p>You’ve had both experiences. You know what you like and what you don’t. To me, it sounds like you’re in the right place for you in both the short term and the long term.</p>