It’s natural to want to move out of the house, but there are benefits of living with parents while you’re still in college. You have your entire life to earn enough money to support yourself. While you’re still able to get free (or at least cheap) rent, you should take advantage of it. There are benefits of living with parents that will save you money and time.
Don’t you enjoy having home cooked meals? If you dorm, you’ll be stuck eating Ramen, Pop-Tarts, and whatever else you can easily make. After a while, swallowing the same noodles over and over gets tiring. One of the benefits of living with parents is that you’ll have access to better food. Your stomach will appreciate the variety.
Getting an education is expensive. The cost of books and tuition alone are frighteningly high. If you decide to dorm, you’ll need to take out larger loans to cover the cost of housing. Students tend to go broke, so you should save up as much money as you can. You don’t want to waste all of your money during your college years and have an empty wallet when you graduate.
Unless you have brothers and sisters you’re forced to share a room with, you’ll get much more privacy at home than you would in a dorm. Space will be cramped, so you’ll have to limit the amount of clothes and other items that you bring. Plus, you never know who your roommate will be. You could have clashing personalities and end up arguing over little things. If your roomie has a boyfriend or a large crew of friends, they might visit often and make the room feel even smaller.
If you dorm, you’ll have to use the same bathroom as dozens of strangers. You never know how disgusting the toilets and showers will be. If there are other people waiting for you to finish, you might feel rushed. But if you stay at home, you won’t have to worry about who showered before you or wearing shoes on the grimy floors. Staying home is more sanitary.
Who would want to leave their puppy or kitty behind? Most dorms don’t allow animals inside. That means you’ll have to spend some time apart from your furry friend. If you can’t stand the thought of being separated from your pet for weeks, then staying home might be your best bet. You’ll be around to take care of them and make sure they stay healthy.
Colds are never any fun, but they aren’t as bad when you have someone around to help you through them. If you get sick at home, your parents will be there to take care of you. They can drive you to the doctor, load you up with medicine, or simply bring you a bowl of soup. Unless you end up with a really nice roommate who’s willing to risk catching your cold, you won’t be taken care of while at a dorm. You’ll have to handle things like a grownup and take a trip down to the infirmary.
The longer you’re at home, the more time you’ll have to spend with family. Of course it’s possible to keep in touch when you’re dorming, but it’s much easier to walk into a room and talk to someone than to pick up the phone and call. When you’re in the same house, there are more opportunities to strike up conversations. There’s no reason to let those moments slip away. Try to appreciate the time you spend living with your parents, because there will be a day when you miss them.
While dorming can be an excellent experience that earns you friends and opportunities, living at home can be just as beneficial. Have you decided whether you’re going to continue living with your parents after high school? If you’re currently in college or are a graduate, are you happy with the decision you made?