Not all freshmen get the chance to live at home during college, but I was lucky and did. The main reason I find people move out of their parents’ homes is for independence. They want to feel like real adults and do it on their own. Well I didn’t too much care about feeling like a real adult, and frankly I just wasn’t ready to move out. Here’s why:

I have a little brother who is 6 years old and I didn’t want to become a stranger to him. If I lived on campus, I would hardly be at home. I would maybe only see him on weekends every now and then and for holidays. I knew I wanted to have a better relationship with him than that, so I made the choice to stay home.

Though that was my initial reason, as time went by I found so many other benefits of staying home:

I love home cooked meals, and when your mom cooks almost every night, it’s hard not to. A meal plan just wasn’t that appealing to me, and it’s a lot easier to eat healthy at home. Plus, the food is free! Free food is always better. Also, I don’t have to worry about what I can cook in a microwave or what will fit in my mini fridge. I have everything I need at home.

Another reason I’m glad I stayed home is that it makes me spend time with my family. I get so busy sometimes that I’m gone all day. When I get home, however, my family is there waiting. If I lived on campus I would have to make a conscious effort to spend time with them, but living at home means I’m always spending time with them. Honestly, I would miss them a whole bunch if I had moved out. My mom and I are best friends and it’s nice coming home and just being able to talk to her about my day and talk through what’s bothering me anytime I want.

This is a more trivial reason, but I didn’t have to pick which stuff came with me to the dorm. Let me just say, I have a lot of stuff. Clothes, shoes, hats, scarves, arts and crafts, jewelry, the list goes on. I could have never picked what had to stay and what I brought. It’s nice living at home because I always have all my stuff with me. I don’t have to worry about stuff like not having my winter clothes when a random cold front comes in and all that’s in my closet are shorts and t-shirts. I have everything I need with me because I’m at home. I also love the space that I have. Dorm rooms are small, cramped, and cold. My room, obviously, feels like home. It’s warm and inviting to me, and it’s all mine.

Finally, one thing I’ve noticed most recently is that if I wasn’t at home it might not feel like the holidays. We’ve had our Christmas tree up for a while now, and I remember days I would come home and sit in the living room to do my homework just to be in front of the tree. I might have missed out on that if I was living in the dorms. Or how when we put up the tree it was a family affair. We had Christmas music blaring in the house and my brother and mom helping me decorate. Or driving through the neighborhood and seeing everyone’s lights up. It’s little things like that. They make living at home during the holidays so much more special.

Overall, I’m glad I stayed home. It has brought me so much closer to my family, and it makes the little things so special. Also, by living at home I can save money for the future when I do want to move out! Moving out freshmen year may be great for some people, but home is where I belong.