<p>I still think some discussion with the parents is in order. Tell them you feel like you are struggling academically and that you really want to finish well and get a good job after graduation (I hope you are working on that…) Perhaps there are explanations for the food policies. A young man can eat a lot of food compared to middle aged people. Maybe they are concerned about the food bill. Or perhaps you annoyed them by inadvertently eating some items they needed to cook with. I know you don’t have much money, but how much are you spending on eating out? What if you offer to give some of that money to your parents instead, toward the food budget, if they will lift these restrictions? The amount of work they are expecting does seem a bit excessive for the cost they are incurring to take you in. I’m assuming that you staying in your room isn’t really costing them anything–unless they were planning to rent it out or something, it would just be sitting empty anyhow. I guess there is the electricity and the water, but how much is that really? And can you buy some efficient light bulbs for your room, if you don’t already have them, to make it really minimal, like $5 a year?</p>
<p>I’m assuming if you had good friends you feel you could stay with near campus, that you already would have looked into that. Even if you have friends wanting to help you, they may be constrained by agreements with roommates or by conditions of their lease. But yes, it would help if you can find such an arrangement. You might want to look anyhow. There may be situations where you could get a room for way under market rate–perhaps a roommate drops out and wants someone to sublet for just a few months. They may be happy to take half market rate rather than pay in full for a lease they aren’t using.</p>
<p>It does make me sad to hear about parents treating their kids this way. I understand there are deadbeat kids who make no effort to find a job or grow up and just expect their parents to look after them forever. But I feel I’d be happy to help my kids out in such a situation and would enjoy having them still living at home. That’s provided there was a long-term career plan in place, and progress being made, for their independence. Since my younger daughter is thinking about being a writer, this is a very real possibility for our family. </p>