What are your thoughts on living at home while attending college? I’m a freshman currently living a couple hours away from home, but I’m having a really hard time and am considering transferring so that I can move back home. I just don’t want to spend these next few years of my life hating school and everything else in my life because I’m so far from home and my family. I’m planning on finishing out the school year through the spring semester, so I’m going to give it a fair chance, but I have to start looking for housing for next year soon so I need to make up my mind soon. I’m not sure if I would love moving home or hate it, so I’d like to hear about others’ experiences with either one.
It is good that you are going to finish the year out.
But do try to make friends. If you haven’t yet, then you need to try in different places. Here are ideas:
Also try to think about why you are having a hard time. Go to the college Counseling Center and talk to someone.
It could be you are having anxiety or depression. It could be that you like to be near home.
Talk to your parents about signing up for housing and put a deposit down even if you are still making a decision.
Make a pro/con list.
Well my situation is probably a little different then yours. I’ve always lived at home during college. Even when I attended a college an hour away I still lived at home (not for the faint at heart).
It depends on your family dynamic imo. Do you have younger siblings that could distract you? Do you have your own room at home? Since I’m an only child and my parents are older it never felt that ‘outrageous’ to me to live at home. I have my own room and bathroom. The kitchen is available to me 24/7. I don’t have to deal with crazy roommates and I get to see my dog everyday. I also have a ten minute commute. How will your commute be? Also be prepared for parking.
But my mother is pretty crazy, and basically keeps me on a leash, so I have to beg to go out. While if I lived in college, if I decided to go visit my friend I could just walk to her dorm. Or if I wanted to go to the movies at night, I could just hop on the shuttle and be there. Yeah that doesn’t happen when I live at home. Do your parents give you freedom? Or do you have to ask permission to go out? If they do is that something that won’t get on your nerves after a while? This is partly the reason why I’ve always had a hard time dating in college because my parents are always RIGHT THERE and it can be borderline impossible to just meet people period. It’s also hard for me to be apart of clubs since they all meet in the evening at my school and my mother doesn’t let me out when it’s dark.
Oh yeah, that’s another con. As a commuter I’ve always found it 10x more difficult to make friends since the only time I talk to people is in my classes. I’ve been at college for 3 years and I made a total of 3 friends. One I met in an English class, one I met in computer science classes, and one I met in bio who I would walk out with to our cars. This isn’t’ including classmates that I would talk to for just the semester, which has only been a couple more people. And I’m not shy or anything like that. It’s just people have their cliques. Or at least at my college they do. And when you don’t live at the school you feel more out of the loop.
About half of the people at my school drive to campus, so that’s also a factor for you. Some colleges are better commuter schools then others.
Biggest pro is you’re saving loads of money. Most R&B I’ve seen is over 10k. Also this may sound strange but I feel like it’s helped me prepare for the real world ‘9-5’ life.
Unlike most students I can’t just roll out of bed and walk to class at the last minute. I’m thinking of numerous things in the morning: what time do I need to wake up to get ready (we usually wake up earlier then residents), how long will it take for me to get ready, will there be traffic, is it raining/snowing, will i get a parking space this time of day etc. I know as a resident you have to walk to class as well, but it’s nothing like the steps I have to take.