Most of you will be packing up and heading back home to spend quality time with Mom and Dad for the next few months now that school is out.
Although some of you, I’m sure, are already moaning and groaning thinking about the fact you have to live in such close quarters with your parental units, don’t count out the pros of this just yet!
While I’m no longer in college (I’m just a poor recent graduate), I can still give you some insight on why living at home can be great.
You’re not paying rent.
Seriously. Rent takes such a dent out of each and every one of my paychecks. I would love to live at home if I could! You’re able to keep the money that you would be spending on rent to live in a different city for the summer to save up for something special. Even if you don’t have something in mind that you want to save up for right now, you’ll definitely want to start tucking some money away for when you have to enter “the real world.” Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.
You’re spending quality time with family.
Once you move out, you won’t be able to get this time back. Even though it seems absurd to think this right now, there will come a time when you wish you could go back to the days of living under the same roof as Mom, Dad and the rest of your siblings. There are so many things that I’m sure you take for granted right now and don’t even realize it. You’ll find that you will miss the simple things – like helping a younger sibling with their homework or going to the grocery store with your Mom. Enjoy it while you can!
You’ve got a support system around you.
There are no words to describe what it feels like when all you want is a close friend or family member to give you a hug and they are hours away. There will be times when all you want is a pep talk from your Mom and Dad. Luckily, since you’re at home, they are accessible to you by just walking down the hallway. Although we’ve got Skype and Facetime these days, they still aren’t the perfect substitute for getting a hug from Mom or Dad.
You can learn skills you didn’t have time to before.
Ever wanted to learn how your Mom gets her shirts perfectly starched? Or maybe how your Dad ties a bow tie? Take this time to learn everything you’ve been meaning to ask your parents about. For example, when I lived at home after my freshman year, I learned more from my mom on how to cook some of my favorite recipes, since I knew I would be living in an apartment the next year and wouldn’t have easy access to cafeteria food. Don’t underestimate all that your parents can teach you!
Now that we’ve discussed the pros of your living situation, here are a couple things you need to keep in mind to keep your parents happy while you’re under their roof:
- Be respectful of bed times for younger siblings.
- Understand that a curfew isn’t a death sentence.
- Volunteer to help around the house (even if you don’t want to).
- Watch your language and topics of discussion around younger siblings.
- Show respect to your parents and they will respect you back – you’re way too old to throw fits.
