Choosing the right housing Part 2: Living at home

Living at home: the often forgotten option
When you say college life, living at home might not be the first thing that comes to mind. For many the choice is generally between dorms or off campus. However, if your parents have offered to let you stay at home and your college is reasonably close, this is hardly an option to scoff at. (photo: howstuffworks)



Living at home is a great and very undervalued housing option. Even if your college is far away, if you're thinking about summer school at a nearby college, living at home is something you should think about. Here's the rundown:



Pros:

1. It's cheaper
   The cost of college housing is only the beginning of what you'll be spending - tag on laundry, eating, toiletries, and all those other small things and living at college is very expensive. You do have to spend on transport to go to college, but it's proably far less than what you'll be saving on everything else.


2. The transition
   This can be a huge reason. Getting new friends, adjusting to a new location, and having to do a lot more for yourself in addition to studying can be tough. You might have a good group of friends, a significant other, pets, or even relatives you don't want to part with. Also, parents can be a huge support through this process when they can readily help you with problems and issues.


3. Cafe food
   This may sound like a cliche, but college food is pretty bad. The freshman 15 is not a joke: people DO gain a lot of weight just because they eat a lot of unhealthy food and are not exercising. If you have food constraints, you might have extremely limited choices (note: vegans/vegetarians). Eating at home even if you are doing the cooking is probably much better.


4. Comfort
   Your home is probably a lot more comfortable. And you're not forced to live in a room with some one you don't know. Sure, dorms are an experience but who wants to experience living with someone who snores like a train. For special ed students, living at home can provide you with facilities that the college may not be suited to provide.
   
5. Privacy
   Most housing options at college require sharing something with someone else you don't know that well. Your home can give that privacy and security you want.

Cons

1. The experience
   A big part of college is experiencing new things. Living at home can get in the way of that. Immersion, like in the case of languages, can be the only way to learn certain things and living at college can give you that. At home, your parents may shelter you from certain things that you would get exposed to and learn from living alone.


2. Convenience
   Being able to pull all nighters or meet friends late at night can become inconvenient living at home. Forgot something in your room? That's a hour trip back and forth. Living at college can make you more mobile and help you get things done that require you to be in the college.


3. Privacy
   Parents and siblings can be nosy and you might not want them to know the details of your college life. Even if they are not, there are some experiences that you might want to be private or you might want alone time. This can be difficult at home even if you can go to college to escape.


4. Home-based obligations
   Living at home can involve you spending a lot of time on other things. Babysitting siblings, buying groceries, and all those small home obligations can take a toll on your time.