For so many of us, graduation is coming fast, and so sets in the terror. What will you have to hang onto when you leave your apartment and have to decide where to live and what to do? We’re talking looking for a job to sustain yourself (no more grant money!), a home to live in (say goodbye to student housing), and paying your way through grown-up things like electricity, water, and buying a proper trash-can.
It’s scary. We’ve been held up in the arms of the Gator Nation for so long, and it’s easy to forget there’s a world out there waiting for us.
The biggest question we’re facing, however, is whether to go at it alone or to give ourselves more time. Should we go and tough it out, or move back home with mom and dad? There are a lot of things to consider, and it all depends on how comfortable you are. Here are some things to think about:
Money: Living on your own is expensive. You have to pay rent, utilities, bills, and food costs. Let’s not forget going out, movies, clothes, cute shoes, a new bathing suit, maybe a new iPad and some sunglasses, of course.
Hold up, wait a minute, put a little thought in it. When you’re living alone, you have to shoulder all those costs on your own. When mom and dad are right in the next room, you have a security blanket you can use to save some money for when you are ready to leave home.
However, studies have shown students who move back home after graduation have a lower chance of gaining financial independence and stability than those who go out on their own. We know you’re a strong independent woman, and you should want to keep it that way. Think about whether you’re ready to live alone and if you’re going to be able to live a more frugal life after graduation.
Family: So many students cannot wait to leave home for college and would never think of moving back. However, circumstances change and sacrifices need to be made. While going ‘home’ may seem like a chore, it fosters a better relationship with your parents because you’re finally old enough to understand that they cared about you that whole time, and it was a good thing they made you eat your leafy greens.
On the other hand, many students find that the time apart has allowed them to be closer to their parents because they had the chance to go out and explore the world, but still ask mom and dad about the hard stuff.
Think about whether being at home is going to reinforce your family ties or strain them to the breaking point. You can’t act like a normal 23-year-old who likes to party when going back home means seeing mom and dad. But, having mom there to make sure you’re well-fed when you’re sick can give you a bit more time to understand how to stand on your own two feet.
Privacy: As adults, we like to engage in adult activities. That may be drinking after dinner, drowning our sorrows in ice cream, eating cake for dinner, or having sex with people you may or may not know. Hate to break it to you, but mom and dad may not appreciate the hunk from last night at the bar sharing breakfast. Living at home means cutting back on your youthful activities and sneaking around like you were in high school with your partner. Even if you have a really trusting and open relationship with your parents, they don’t want to know when you’re having a one night stand, and you don’t want them to know either.
Living on your own affords you the ability to do as you please, when you please in the comfort of your own home (pants optional). If you feel like you will not be able to survive without coming and going wherever you please, try to stick it out on your own.
Going home is a good move from a financial perspective, but it can put a damper on the person you’ve become since you left for college. It’s okay to make some sacrifices for the greater good. It’s okay to go home to mom and dad and say you need a little help.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Take control of your life in your own way, but always remember to hide your snacks, lest dad finds them and eats them first.