Living at home/away for college

[moonwise]

Recently, I read this article on CNN about living at home during college:

Students staying at home can strain household

The percentage of students staying at home while attending school surprised me - the article puts the number at 37% or higher. This really surprised me, since I have always felt that leaving home and not living with your parents was part of the essential college experience. Even if you went to school close to home, part of the college thing was not going home to mom'n'dad at night.

I'll admit that I couldn't wait to get out of the house at the end of college, as my mom and I were fighting a lot. One of the reasons we get along better now is that we're not living together (e.g. she's a neat freak, and I'm a total slob.) I also wanted to get out of South Jersey like whoa, and even though I only went as far as New Brunswick, it was far enough.

The article points to financial reasons for most students, and that was certainly the case for one friend of mine who lived at home while attending Villanova (no one any of you know.) His parents were divorced, and neither would give a penny more than the other for P's education. It spawned something of a chicken-or-egg argument after a while, because P has managed to alienate most of the roommates he's ever had post-college (with the exception of his wife, of course): is he hard to live with because he never had to learn to get along with anyone during college, or is he just hard to live with anyway?

So I pose the question to you, friendslist - did you live at home or away during college/university (or are you planning to live home/or away?) Do you think it had a positive or a negative impact? Why did you make the choice you did?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Talk about yourselves; that's what LJ is for!

Comments

[andmydog.livejournal.com]

I had to move out of my parents' house to go to school, and I'm so happy I did. I had a whole lot of fucking up and growing up to do, which never would have happened had I stayed at home. I learned my tolerence levels for alcohol and drama and sleep deprivation, that ditching class is not always a bad thing and going to class doesn't mean you automatically pass. I discovered the joys of eating disorders, and of paying rent. I had good sex and an abusive SO and a cat who showed her love by drawing blood.

And I didn't realize how good all these things really were until I had to move back home (stupid agoraphobia).

I left home at 18, and came back a different person at 26. Unfortunately, parents can get stuck on a default age. (Because dude. If my dad tells me one more time that I don't understand what he's saying because I don't have as much life experience as he does, I'm going to point out that a: I get it, and he's just wrong, and b: I've had a few more "life experiences" than the ones I've told him about.)

Living at home can be a good thing, I'm sure, but for me, it's retarding. I find myself throwing 15-year-old temper tantrums when my folks piss me off, and I can't shake the feeling that this is my folks' house, and not mine. Thank god I'll be moving out within the next two months. I get to be an adult again! And smoke! And stay up late! And be responsible for my own damn actions!

Can't. fucking. wait.

[arafel.livejournal.com]

Sorry that you had to move home again - you probably get the "what is this place, a hotel?" gripe from your parents a lot. Hard to go back in the cage when you've become accustomed to stretching your wings. Though, it's increasingly common to get out of college and be forced to live home again for a while until the job comes through. Congrats on moving out soon! :)

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

Thank god I'll be moving out within the next two months.

Yay, I did not know that! Many congrats on the escape!