<p>I live at home, to save money, but if money isn't an issue, dorm. My college is in Manhattan, so it's pretty expensive to live there. It's already hard for my family to afford NYU, which gives really sucky FA btw, and I'd feel guilty wasting more money...plus, if you don't dorm freshman year, you're not guaranteed a dorm in the future, so I'd have to get an apartment, which is really pricy in NYC. </p>
<p>Mon-Fri, I barely see my family, I get up at 7 and go to the city, usually don't come home till 11 or 12, so I mostly see them weekends. What sucks about commuting is early morning classes - I have an 8 AM class this semester, so I have to get up at 6 AM to get there...yeah, commuting blows.</p>
<p>As for parents babying you, I can see how it's a problem for some people, but I've been cooking for myself and doing my own laundry and all that jazz since I was like 12...usually I just say hi to my parents before I rush out the door, and they're in bed by the time I get home haha</p>
<p>I love living on campus and couldn't imagine living at home. I go to school in LA and am from SF, so I don't go home that often (not planning to at all this quarter), but if I ever need to, usually someone that I know will be driving up on a weekend, or I can just get plane tickets as they're pretty cheap. I'm really used to it, as much as I love my parents and friends back home, it's great being on your own and really exploring things by yourself. A friend of mine from back home goes to school in SF and lives at home and when I was back during winter break, I saw how not fun it is. He basically still hangs out with the same people from high school and hasn't made very many friends in college. </p>
<p>I think that living on campus and getting out of your comfort level is essential for most people to really grow up and get out there.</p>
<p>I recommend living on- or off-campus, and not at home, if you can. I'm living at home to take care of chronically ill family members, after living in the dorms my freshman year, and I definitely want to get back out as soon as possible.</p>
<p>But I think your question is on-campus or off, and not about living at home. That's a personal choice, but I would recommend living on campus your freshman year.</p>
<p>I have lived at home ever since I started college (I'm a sophomore now), and do not recommend it. There are so many nights I just wish I had made the decision to live on campus, regardless of the immense debt that would have ensued...it's easy to say that you'll "get involved" on campus, but it is so much more difficult when you do not have the immediate connections that those living on campus do. Even after a year and a half, I still do not feel like a part of the campus; when I walk to class and try to hang out down there, I always feel like an outsider. I miss the days of high school when I used to be able to walk down the hall and say friendly hello's to myriad of familiar faces. It is especially a bad idea if you are shy and introverted, like me. It is only now that I am beginning to feel like I have started to make friends...and that's even stretching it a bit. I had a really rough time my freshman year because of the loneliness and lack of motivation I was feeling.</p>
<p>I chose to live at home due to financial reasons, but although I get along pretty well with my family, I know living on campus would make everything so much better. When you're on campus, you have a much better chance of making friends, getting involved, and having an actual college experience. I still just feel like I'm in high school - the only difference being a 20 minute commute versus a five minute walk because I'm not a "part" of the campus. </p>
<p>If you DO live off-campus, it certainly isn't the end of the world, though. I don't want to come off as completely pessimistic!! For me, there really wasn't an option, considering how expensive it would have been, so in a sense I kind of view this all as saving up money for future adventures, etc. You just have to be EXTRA committed to putting yourself out there and making friends. Join everything you possibly can, and really try and start conversations with people before and after class. Call people up and don't be afraid to spend extra time down there if need be. There are great chances to meet people, even if you live at home - it's just more challenging...but, hey, sometimes challenging can be more fun! GET INVOLVED! That is definitely key. </p>
<p>I must say that sometimes I do like living at home, simply because it's often easier to concentrate, and well, I get much better food. :P</p>
<p>^ That's what it was like for me last year, but only I don't get along with my dad and I am not able to concentrate well at all at home. Those were the main reasons I moved out, along for the chance to improve my social life, which I must say has improved greatly over just one semester living on campus. I'd def. take the financial burden over being miserable and depressed during my college years.</p>
<p>If they aren’t there to keep tabs, then in a sense, you’re not under their direct rule. Not sure what rules you’re speaking of, though.</p>
<p>I don’t see what who is paying has to do with it, though. Commuters seem to say that you aren’t independent because your parents are paying your bill (which isn’t the case often times), yet at home, do they all pay rent? If it’s free either way, living away from home seems like a much more independent choice. (I may have taken your comment in the wrong direction, but I’ve read that argument a few too many times. I’m also too tired to care about coherence, so excuse any grammatical errors.)</p>
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<p>I personally would not even think about commuting to school. I have heard far more negative stories about commuting than I have positive ones. Sure, when you boil it down, college is about furthering your education. But overall, I, and I’m sure many others, see it as a whole lot more than that. It’s up to you to make it what you want it to be. </p>
<p>People don’t call it the “best years of their lives” simply because it earned them a bachelor’s degree.</p>
<p>I’ll be going off to college next year and I’ll be living on-campus. I know a lot of people that either are going to live at home next year or are currently freshmen or sophomores living at home. I don’t understand how they can do it. </p>
<p>Right now, I’m absolutely dying to get out of the house and live alone. I wouldn’t wish living at home for another 4 years on my own worst enemy. Yet some choose that route independently. Yikes.</p>
<p>^lol do you hate your home and/or family that much?</p>
<p>A lot of people who were graduating high school were like that, saying “I can’t wait to leave!” and thinking that made them sound mature. Well now they’re partying and drinking all the time. Whoo “college experience.” Yes, very mature.</p>
<p>I don’t get people who live 15 minutes away from the school and yet choose to dorm. Come on, you can save so much money just staying at home. One thing that really bug me about living at home though is that it’s so hard to concentrate at home; there are so many distractions.</p>
<p>Im going to be a freshman living at home, i don’t really see any reason not to. I live about 15 minutes from the university and im saving about 9k total a year. I get along great with my family, hey have no rules for me as they realize im an adult and can make my own decisions, and at the moment we are living in a house with two master bedrooms, so i get a nice master bedroom with a deck coming off. Also free home cooked food and they pay for my car and insurance i just pay for gas.</p>
<p>As for the social part of it, i don’t see a big problem. I will probably be up at the university all day anyways, i can still use the library and rec and what not. Living only 15minutes away, i don’t see too many extra limitations i would have over living on campus. Plus i don’t have to worry about getting a terrible room mate.</p>