By Carlos Micames
Thumbnail image via Panoramio.
If you’re like me and still live at your house while studying in the college town you’ve always lived in, then you know all the pros and cons that come with the inclusive package. At first glance, it sounds like a comfortable, glamorous lifestyle from your friends’ perspective, but they have no clue the constant daily struggles that we face. Depending on your personality, this particular theme can be a blessing in disguise or a 4 year hell, or even more in certain cases. While some can identify, others can only judge.
Free meals:
The main advantage of not having to stay in an apartment is always having food waiting for you when you get home. There’s nothing more satisfying than arriving from a classic killer exam estilo Colegial and not having to prepare a meal. In my case, I live off my grandparents’ classic lunch of pollo con arroz y habichuelas and there’s nothing like it. Particularly when the only decent meal I can prepare is an exquisite pasta with chicken (ask and you shall receive). There’s nothing worse than having to cook after an exhausting day, especially when you have to study, but probably won’t anyway, so having your own personal chef is a true blessing for anyone living at home for college.
Lack of a social life:
Let’s be honest, staying at home is equivalent to two key things: curfews and a complicated sex life. When you have your parents or guardian constantly telling you to stay safe and come back at a certain hour, it puts you under a certain strain that none of your friends can sympathize with. While they can stay out at the jangueo until the sun comes up, your parents are waiting to see if you arrive on time. Even one minute late could cost you the weekend, which is too great of a risk. This also presents some serious downsides when trying to chat up some guy or girl you met that night. It’s obvious you can’t take them to your place, so you quickly have to figure out a way to convince them to take you to their apartment. Of course, you also have to call your parents and explain to them why you won’t get home by curfew. In my case, if my mom picks up, the night’s over and the morning conversation is never a pleasant one. As impressive as your house may be I promise you, nothing good comes from hosting your one-night stand where your family lives. Especially if you value your stuff. Dates can even be worse if your parents are those awkward “when’s the marriage?” type like mine. The process for avoiding this incident goes as follows: ask for money quickly and leave before they start to question her social security number and childhood history.
Nothing is new:
Same old pueblo, same old bars, same old town. When you grow up in a college town, there’s not much to do and the university nightlife that captivates all prepas when they enter is just another Thursday to you. I started hanging out at el pueblo when I was around 16 years old. There weren’t, and still aren’t, many choices available and I got to know all the bars and bartenders from an early age. When I enrolled in the University of Mayagüez, there was no difference in the jangueos, and while all the prepas were getting drunk like it was their first time, I felt like a veteran who had been through the whole experience already.
At the end of the day, living at home is basically a trade off. You can eat whenever you want and watch whatever show you want for no price at your easygoing convenience, but you trade in the opportunity to party with no restrictions attached.
Based on your particular style, there are advantages and disadvantages for each one. From my particular experience, staying at my house presents an incredible commodity for me. However, when I left last year to live in Washington D.C. for an internship, I immediately realized that learning to live independently is necessary for everybody eventually. Next semester, I’ll be living alone for the first time in my life for the next 4 years and the opportunity to stay with my family during my university years has allowed me to grow closer to them and share many difficult experiences, both personal and academic, that I would otherwise have to face alone. I am glad I stayed at home, and while there are many advantages I would have had living alone, having their maturity and experience as guidance makes me feel better prepared now than ever before to live alone.