Just before I was about to start university, I decided to stay at home and commute every day. I lived in a neighbouring city, allowing my commute to be no more than twenty minutes. I was a little terrified since everyone I knew would be living on campus, and I would be going back and forth every day. I wasn’t making a lot of new friends commuting every day and not using my time on campus to get involved and explore. Eventually, it became more comfortable when I started spending the majority of my days on campus. The biggest pro of living at home was the amount of money I was saving. It allowed me to use the saved money for anything I want, such as graduate school.
It was a blessing to know every night I would be able to get a home-cooked meal and be with my family. All-day I would spend time getting work done and working towards my goals and be with my friends, and at night I would be with my family. By the end of the first year, I noticed I was living a well-balanced life and was grateful to know that living at home had a significant impact on that. Knowing that I had so much support at home was comforting and was allowed me to confide in my family if I ever stressed about school.
As someone who genuinely enjoys driving, going home at the end of the day was the most relaxing feeling. Driving through the back roads while the trees are still green and not many cars surrounding you was a real stress-reliever. Having my car on campus at all times allowed me to go anywhere at any time.
I was pretty new to my current hometown and living at home allowed me to explore the city throughout the years. I’ve come to know that Cambridge is identical to mini Europe towns with these beautiful churches along the river. It also enabled me to spend some of my time in cafes near me to get my picture done rather than the campus library.
Fast forward two years, I’m starting my third year and still commuting and could not be happier.