When it comes to starting university, one of the main decisions that everyone must make, is where you are going to live while pursuing your degree. For some people, living in a residence hall or an apartment is their only option, while others, like myself, have the choice of living at home. I’ve decided to sit down and lay out some of the pros and cons of living at home that I have thought of from my own experience of living at home during university, and hopefully it might help others who are contemplating where to live when they begin university.
Pros
It saves you lots of money
It’s no secret that living in residence is very expensive and can be a huge financial cost. Choosing to live at home allows you to keep your hard earned cash, and spend it more worthwhile endeavors, like fueling your coffee addiction. Living at home also helps reduce the cost of things like groceries or other expenses you may need if you were living on your own.
Home cooked meals
Living at home usually means that you don’t have to worry about buying groceries, cooking or buying dinner for yourself every night. It’s nice to be able to come home to a home cooked meal from your mom after spending the whole day studying, especially if you’re like me and can’t cook at all. Living at home also spares you from having to pay and experience the meal plan that residence provides you with.
You don’t have to worry about homesickness
One big plus about living at home is that you will never experience homesickness because you will not have left home in the first place. Not only that, but you are surrounded by your loved ones and are in the comfort of your own home throughout your entire university experience. Starting university is scary enough, but living at home can help diminish that fear a little bit because you are in a place you are used to.
Easier to focus on studying
I find that by living at home, I am more likely to get in quality study time and complete my homework in a timely manner without procrastinating until the last minute. I find that I can rarely study well on campus, even when I’m on campus for classes, so I can’t imagine being in an environment where you are constantly surrounded by people and noise all the time. I learn by speaking out loud and repeating different topics and by living at home, I can retreat to my bedroom and don’t have to worry about someone interrupting me. Also by living at home you are less likely to face distractions which will allow you to focus more easily.
Cons
Have to commute to and from school
I live in Sherwood Park and although the commute to and from school is not horrible, it still takes time out of my day, which I could be using to sleep in or study. Not to mention during the winter, the commute instantly gets 100 times more difficult, from waiting out in the cold to catch my bus, to buses being late due to bad accidents, slow traffic, or icy roads. By living on campus you are fairly close to your classes and can use that time that you would normally spend commuting to catch a couple more zzzzz’s.
Don’t get the experience of living in residence
I feel like in every college movie or television show living in residence is a big thing and it’s always pushed as something every college student should experience. When you live at home you never get to experience that classic rite of passage and it almost makes you feel like you are missing out on something monumental. Not only that, but living on campus is great in that you meet so many new people and you can form bonds with the people who are living on your floor, or who are on your Campus Cup team.
Surrounded by your family constantly
Listen, I love my family with all my heart but after spending 18 years surrounded by them you start to want your own space after a while. Unfortunately when you live at home, it can be a bit difficult to escape. It also makes it a little bit hard to truly transition into adulthood because you are constantly surrounded by your parents, just like when you were in high school.
Most people you meet in University live in Edmonton
Obviously not every single person you befriend is going to live in Edmonton, but the reality is that a good majority of them do. So when you live outside of the city, it can be a bit tedious to be commuting back and forth just so you can meet up with them. This wouldn’t be a problem if your home is in Edmonton, but for someone like me, who lives in Sherwood Park, making plans or even attending events at the University can be a struggle. You wouldn’t have to plan out the commute if you lived on campus.
At the end of the day the choice is ultimately up to you, and is different for every person. I still have days where I wonder what it would have been like to live on campus, but I know for myself that this is the best choice for me. Choosing where to spend your four years can be daunting but one big thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to stick with your choice if you don’t enjoy it. It is perfectly acceptable to live at home for a year and then spend the rest of your time living on campus. Whatever you choose, the only thing that matters is if it’s the right choice for you.