It typically begins on the first day of the new academic year.
First years: “Which halls are you living at?”
Second and third years: “When did you come back to Selly?” “What road are you living on in Selly?”
Then the most horrific line a student could mutter comes out…
“I’m – living – at –home”
Faces drop, conversation flow stunted, confused expressions. In the eyes of the student living away from home – a student who opts to living at home seems like a complete alien to the rest of the student population.
After the initial shock, the investigation into their choice begins. Usually, the next question revolves around going out.
“How do you go out? Do you go out at home? Do you have uni friends to stay with? How do you go out? How do you go out? How do you go out?”
The concern is flattery I suppose. These “typical students” are worried this living-at-home student isn’t being a true student or having the full experience. But I guess there is more to being a student than having somewhere to sleep after a night out?
But I guess there are a few things a living-at-home student is missing out on, such as arguments over fridge space or running out of clean cutlery, but they’re still not from Mars.