Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
clay banks zUf39GDNyzU unsplash?width=719&height=464&fit=crop&auto=webp
clay banks zUf39GDNyzU unsplash?width=398&height=256&fit=crop&auto=webp
/ Unsplash
Career > Her20s

I’m Moving Back Home After Graduation & I’m Not Ashamed

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Carthage chapter.

The word “graduation” tends to elicit some negative feelings. People think of endings, sadness, and adult responsibilities. For many college seniors, graduation means entering the real world and entering the workforce. For some, work and housing go hand-in-hand and it means they must be ready-to-go in June. For others, however, work might mean temporarily living at home to save up. So many people do it, but why is it still taboo?

To start, it can feel incredibly discouraging to see post after post on your social media of classmates getting interviews, offers, or grad school acceptances. You can feel left behind and like the next step is to move somewhere else. Why go back to where you moved away from? Moving back home can feel just as it sounds, a step back. Even with a job lined up, it can be easy to think that it’s either the wrong choice or not good enough, compared to others’ successes.

Related: 4 Benefits of Moving Back Home After College

But here’s the thing, it’s not. Don’t have the money to live on your own? Why would you stretch your already slim funds to figure it out, just to fit in? Learning to know what’s best for YOUR plan is far more important than what others are doing. Because as long as you have a plan, you’re already doing better than you think. Personally, I set a goal to work and save up to be able to move out within 2 years after graduation. Although life has ups and downs, this goal is attainable for myself and my plan.

No matter what your post-grad agenda is, having a plan and sticking to it is the first major step to take. Whether you’re moving away or moving back home, know that your post-grad adventures have just begun.

Ali Jagielo

Carthage '19

Ali is a senior at Carthage College majoring in English with a double minor in Communications and Public Relations. She is originally from Westmont, IL, but wishes to one day live in Chicago. She is a proud member of the Beta Lambda chapter of Chi Omega here at Carthage. When she is not working or in class, she loves to spend her time reading, watching Netflix, or going on adventures with her friends.
Jane Eckles

Carthage '19

Jane graduated from Carthage College in May 2019 with a degree in English and Secondary Education. She is from Merced, California, which is close enough to San Fransisco for her to confirm that the City by the Bay is her absolute favorite. When she's not teaching or writing articles, she can be found collecting any book she can get her hands on, watching Netflix, staring mindlessly into the void, or napping.