When I was a freshman in college, I was mortified by the idea of moving back into my parents’ house and commuting to campus every day. I thought I needed to live in the heart of campus to get the full college experience. I thought I would miss something by living far away from school. However, as a senior who commutes every day, I have realized that there are huge benefits to living off of campus and commuting from home.

1. You save a ton of money.

College already costs a ton of money. Regardless of the expensive tuition, rent is one of the biggest things that just drains your bank account. Living back at home means you have more money for textbooks and food. You might even feel like you can treat yourself every once in awhile since you know how much money you are saving by not paying rent every single month.

2. Your roommates don’t throw loud parties when you’re trying to study.

We have all been there. You have a huge midterm at 8 a.m., and your roommate has about 25 people in your apartment who keep getting louder and louder as the night goes on. You wake up exhausted, feeling like you are about to fail out of college. When you live at home, the likelihood of this happening is slim to none. In fact, you are usually the last person to go to bed every night.

3. You get home-cooked meals.

Let’s be honest; you can only eat at the dining hall so many times before you would just rather starve to death. It is not uncommon for you and your friends to reminisce about all of the amazing meals your mom or dad has cooked for you your whole life until you went to college. Living at home allows you to continue feasting on delicious home cooked meals. You can even boost your social status by inviting people over for home-cooked meals, occasionally.

4. You get a break from being on campus.

Campus life is great, but honestly, sometimes you just need to get a change of view. It can be a little bit stressful to always be in an environment that demands you put forth your best effort constantly. Living at home allows you to have an escape from the stress of school.

5. You have free printing.

Although your professors get free printing, they insist you print everything and bring it to class. Printing on campus can get very expensive, and, let’s be honest, no one really knows how to work those library printers. When you live at home, your parents buy the paper and, usually, don’t use too much of it.

6. You get really close with your parents.

Sometimes, it makes sense to commute with your dad because your school is somewhat close to his work downtown. Sometimes, you spend the afternoon with your mom at a coffee shop just talking about your school day and what she did at work. Either way, you develop a new relationship with your parents because you spend a lot of time with them.