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Living at Home During College: Is It a Good Idea?

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Submitted By ooemaoo
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Even once you’ve chosen a college and been accepted, you’re still not finished making tough decisions. The next one on your list might be where to live. The choice to live on campus or at home isn’t an easy one, but it can have a huge impact on your college experience. While living at home during college is definitely not for everyone, it has some distinct advantages.
The main reason for living at home is, of course, money. Dorms are expensive, and they’re not getting any cheaper.
When students are in a residence hall, their life is full of distractions. Friends, parties and living in close proximity with a stranger can make for a loud, disorienting environment. At home,they don’t have to head to the library whenever you need to study; they’ll always have their room when you need privacy and a quiet place.
On the flip side, commuting from home can be detrimental to your social life. This isn’t as much of an issue at community and technical colleges, where most students commute. However, at more traditional campuses, most first-year students initially make friends through their residence hall.
Keep in mind, too, that if you like living at home, it’ll be harder to leave the longer you stay there. Living in dorms helps you make a transition to an independent, self-sufficient lifestyle that might not happen if you continue to live with your parents. There are still rules in residence halls, but you’ll have more freedom than you would at home.
Tips for Students Living at Home
Make sure you can keep living with your family harmoniously. While this may seem obvious, it’s important to consider your relationship with your parents and/or siblings before you decide to live at home.
Spend lots of time on campus. In order to compensate for not living on campus, you’ll have to increase your efforts to meet other students and familiarize yourself with the school.
Keep a

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