Should you stay living at home for university? Yes

Every year the halls of residence at every university are full to the brim with wide-eyed freshers looking for a good time. But what about those who live at home?

All too often a ‘which accommodation did you choose?’ followed by a ‘oh I didn’t choose any, I still live with my parents,’ is met with an awkward silence or an ‘oh.’ In reality though, choosing to live at home versus living away in student accommodation doesn’t mean you have any more or less fun.

Granted, sometimes students who live at home can become detached from the social side of University as it’s a bit more of a drag going out partying when you don’t live within stumbling distance. It’s even more of a drag bringing home someone whose name you do not know/ care to remember after a night out, with your parents downstairs watching Question Time they recorded on Sky+. But none of this makes a dent in the benefits of living at home.

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Firstly there’s the financial benefit -don’t underestimate this. It’s one thing learning to be independent, stand on your own two feet and pay all your bills. t’s a complete other thing when you have literally no money, your rent to pay and you’ve already gone over your contract phoning your parents to transfer money into your account. University can be a very lonely place when you have no money. Then there’s the fact that you can share the food that your parents buy rather than living off of pot noodles for three years and not forgetting, if you can get yourself a part time job you may not even have to touch grants or loans. These can be put in high interest accounts ready to pay off lump sums of tuition fee loans when you graduate or for an adventurous gap year.

If you’re lucky enough to have a University close by that does the course you want to do then you may even be able to afford to save a little. Money comes in very handy during summer when everyone wants that minute of work experience at the local newspaper. If you have some money saved up you can travel to a placement- this makes you much more attractive to competitive workplaces as well as expanding your choice.

If that didn’t sell it for you then consider where you’re living now compared to student digs. Unless you are a millionaire or have found a pot of gold you won’t be able to afford luxury accommodation, even if you only move out in your third year. You will be living in basic shared houses or flats. Some might argue that this is all part of the university experience, but if you’re used to living with just your parents in a four bedroomed house in a quite nice neighbourhood the culture shock of suddenly moving into a loud house, inhabited by what seems like the whole town and his dog, may put you off university altogether.

Also, let’s not forget, University is great for socialising and networking but all in all you’re there to study for your degree. If you can concentrate in student halls then I salute you; it is something I could never do and if you prefer to work in silence, like me, you would find it difficult too. Unless of course you buy some ear defenders- the kind that people who work with pneumatic drills wear. At home you can study in silence (as long as you can hide the remote from your dad for long enough) in a comfortable space and you can join as many societies and welfare groups as you like to socialise when you’re finished with the 3000 word essay.

It is, obviously, your decision and it’s a big one to make, probably one of your first ‘grown-up’ decisions. But don’t rule out living at home. With fees rising and students applying for hardship funds on the increase too, living with the folks isn’t so uncool afterall.

Do you agree? Read the other side of the debate here.

Should you stay living at home for university? Yes

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