I love my family, I do. But once you have had a taste of freedom, it is really hard to come back and live with them. There are pros to being back home, though, so don't start thinking this is all going to be sad. Here are my five pros and five cons to living back home after being away for my freshman year of college.
CON: I can’t walk around my room naked or with little clothing.
In my dorm room, I lived by myself and only shared a bathroom with one suitemate. So I was able to roam around my living area (my bedroom) in whatever amount of clothing I wanted to as long as my window blinds were shut. Now that I am back home, I can do that in my bedroom, but I risk my mom just popping in. I certainly can't do that around the living room and kitchen back home.
CON: I can’t just leave whenever I want.
Being away for college, I didn't have to answer to anyone if I wanted to go off campus or leave late at night to go to Walmart. Since I've been back home, I have to check with my mom to let her know where I want to go and make sure it's okay with her. That has been one of the biggest adjustments I have had to make.
CON: I lost my job.
When I lived on campus, I also had an on-campus job. Since our campus has shutdown, the gym I was working at is no longer open, forcing me to be let go. Thankfully, I have been able to find a job back home, but I know many people who aren't as lucky.
CON: The internet at home is much worse than my university’s internet was.
I didn't realize how good the internet at my college was until I was back home. My stepdad works from home already, and now that Oklahoma has shut down all public schools, my mother, who is a third-grade teacher, and my brother, who is a high school sophomore, are back home too. When all four of us are on our computers trying to get our work and schoolwork done, the internet lags so bad. This has created a lot of frustration and tension in the house for sure.
CON: I am around my family and home environment 24/7 now.
I want to start this off by saying I don't have a bad family. But being forced to come home almost two months early has reminded me why I chose a college that was a decent drive away from home. We all can easily get on each other's nerves, and it's pretty tough to self-isolate yourself from the others in the house. Nevermind that the house is filled with a few hotheads, which cause much yelling to occur when we are all stuck here 24/7.
PRO: I get to be around my dogs 24/7.
This is definitely my favorite pro of being home. We got my two dogs, Luna and Daisy, about two months before I left for college. Being away from them during most of their first year with us was hard, so being back home, I have got to love on them so much. Also, whenever I am home, instead of sleeping in their cages, they sleep with me in my bed. Being home has also allowed me to be here for their first birthdays, which was April 1, so I got to make them "pup"-cakes, which they devoured.
PRO: I get to see and talk with my best friend more often.
Now that my university and her university have moved completely online, it's easier for us to talk to each other. We don't have to make sure we catch each other in-between our classes or before we work which has been nice.
PRO: I binge watch Netflix every night with my mom again.
Before I left for college, my mom and I would normally be the last ones up in the living room, and we would watch "our" shows up until 1 or 2 in the morning. Now that we are both stuck home and don't have to be up at any certain time, we searched Netflix for a new show to binge-watch. We have come across "Reign" on there, and we have been watching numerous episodes every night.
PRO: I can still get a workout in by doing yard work.
My mom and I have small green thumbs, and we have been wanting to get out in the yard to clean up our flowerbeds before the perennials start reblooming this spring. These last two weeks, we have both been out there working about 2-3 hours for 8-10 of those 14 days. We normally do our schoolwork and work from the morning to early afternoon, and then we go out and work during the late afternoon and early evening. The weather hasn't been too bad here in NE Oklahoma, so we have been taking advantage of when it hasn't rained.
PRO: I save more money since I can’t just go out anywhere.
Whenever I have money, I either spend it on clothes or food, normally on food though. Here in Oklahoma, all food places are either strictly drive-thru or carryout. Since I would normally go through the drive-thru anyway, you would think this wouldn't affect me. But since that is the only way they are open, more people flood the drive-thrus. Not only does this take more time, but it's just another way that there are too many people at a location.
What are your pros and cons of living back home after being away for college?
