I might be a boomerang child.
There, I said it.
Our generation is famous for this: children move back home after finishing college, like the boomerang that got thrown out of the house, just to unceremoniously reenter.
I do not know for sure if I will be the boomerang. I, like many college seniors at the beginning of April, do not have a lot of clarity about what the next few weeks will bring. I have completed a slew of job applications, smiled through interviews, and I have plenty of jobs in mind that I would give my left hand for, but now it’s not up to me.
The reality of the boomerang generation is that it’s actually pretty logistically sound. College is really expensive, and it’s pretty common to come out without much money. Living with Mom and Dad for a while can give you time to save up for your own place while not having to worry about the basics. Ideally the “boomerang” phase will be a short one, hopefully working for a couple of months while living at home until I have time to get on my feet financially.
However, I think there are a lot of misconceptions, as well as real issues, with the idea of boomerang children.
Myth 1: A college graduate moving back in with their parents does not have savings or will mooch off them for as long as possible.
Fact: While I can only speak for myself, I have worked in various jobs since I was 16, and have always had a savings account that I add to regularly. Most college students work part time during the school year and full time during the summer. The reality is that it can just be really difficult to afford living on your own after a plethora of part time jobs.
Myth 2: Boomerang children have no desire to live on their own.
Fact: If only this were true. While I love my parents dearly, and we enjoy a better relationship than most people my age and their parents, there are just some limitations to living the same way you did in high school. There will always be someone worrying about me if I come home (or not) at all hours of the night, and they will not tackle my worries with the same collective crazy that my college roommates have.
Myth 3: Boomerang parents are enablers.
Fact: The whole boomerang issue is kind of a divisive one in my house. Both my parents support it, and know that it could be for my own good, but have also both stressed that the situation is temporary. It can’t be easy for them either. After three years as empty nesters after my brother went to college, it would be hard to share the space again. In the absence of their children, they have bought two motorcycles and a cabin. That’s what I call freedom.
My parents have been really supportive, but also want me to be able to flourish on my own, without them as a crutch. “Growing up is supposed to be hard,” my mom said. “But everyone has to do it.”