As my senior year of high school came to a close, my parents and I discussed whether I should live on campus and pay the high price of living in the city, or live at home in the country and make the 50-minute commute to school almost every day. At the time, we couldn't afford to pay for me to live in the (new or old) dorms on campus. It wasn't until I found some cheap "dorms" not affiliated with the school roughly 5 minutes from campus that the idea seemed to work.
The building was old, part of the former state psychiatric hospital, and on the border of a rather sketchy neighborhood. But I was in love. We signed the lease, and I was finally out of the hands of my parents.
Once school was over, I had the entire summer and the rest of my lease term to decide what to do. My two friends and I had decided to find our own apartment in an attempt to pay less each month, but everywhere we looked was overpriced. After we all disbanded for the summer, I stayed at the building and began to spend an outrageous amount of money on shopping, food, and gas. It wasn't until one day when I needed gas and only had $30 in my bank account (a week after my mother transferred $100 into my account) that I realized what a mess I had made of my financial situation. I couldn't keep living on the edge like that! So, after I went home for one weekend, I told my parents I wanted to move back home.
Although it was nice being right by school and in the middle of every fast food joint imaginable, my parents and I were spending $350 a month for me to live in a shoe box of a room (with no roommate, thank God!), plus filling up my 15-year-old VW Beetle every week, and the amount of splurging I was constantly doing "because I deserved it." All told, it was about $600 monthly. I was also continuously falling behind in school due to room parties, multiple overnighters, and lack of sleep. This was all noted to me every time I talked to my mother, who would beg me to come home so we didn't have to pay for everything anymore. I didn't listen.
Unlike some parents, mine were thrilled to hear I wanted to come home. That meant more money in their pockets now that they weren't paying for my rent along with everything else. We moved all my belongings out of my room that weekend, and I am currently back in my childhood bedroom, purple walls, pets, and all.
So, why is living at home sometimes better than living on campus?
1. Saves money.
This seriously is the BIGGEST reason to live at home! Every time I get a paycheck, I put a minimum of $40 back into my savings account. Just putting a little bit back each time builds up faster than you think!
2. PETS!
As much as I love my family, there was nothing I missed more while living away from home than my fur babies. There is nothing better than coming home and curling up with a dog by your side and a cat on your lap while you do homework.
3. Fewer distractions.
During my days living on my own, there was nothing more annoying than trying to write a paper due the next day while hearing everyone yelling and screaming in the hallways. They're having fun without you (or so you think), so you go and join them! Four shots and a drinking game later, that paper is still sitting on your laptop untouched.
4. Your own bed.
There is nothing better than sleeping in your own comfy bed rather than on the "mattresses" they give you at college.
5. No Ramen or pizza every night.
I've got to say, I came up with some pretty creative ways to eat ramen while hanging out in our communal kitchen. I also ate a lot of pizza at the start of school. Yet, my father's homemade stuffed burgers or grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream make me want to never eat any of that again
6. If your car breaks down, you have a backup car to use.
If your car has been in the shop as much as mine has, it's incredibly nice to have your parents' cars around when they're not using them.
7. No roommates to worry about.
I only had a couple roommates for about a month at the beginning of the school year, but that was only until the women's bathroom flooded our room and we had to change rooms. Although my roommates were decent people, I would never want to share my space with another random person ever again.
8. Nothing will get stolen from your room (unless it's by a sibling).
At the beginning of the year we had multiple thefts at my old building. Many people had money and medications stolen, and we never found out who did it. But at home, I have only a younger brother to worry about, and we don't take too many things from each other unless it's a book or charging cable.
All in all, you have to choose what's best for you. For some, their only option is to pay the price to live on campus. If you're like me and can commute, do it. It will save you so much money and help you be more successful in the long run.
