Advice on Living at Home During University

However, another important decision which affects each student’s university life, is whether to live at home or at university. Using our interactive university map will allow students to view which universities are located in particular areas.

Although university halls of residence offer many great attributes to the student lifestyle, the main advantage is the distance that they are from classes. Depending on which institution you have decided to attend, and how far it is with regards to commuting to university, living at home may be an option for some students. It is important to consider that if it takes more than two hours of commuting to attend lectures then the travelling may become tiresome.

Pennies

First and foremost, in almost all cases it will be cheaper to live at home whilst at university. University rent prices also include all bills such as water, electric, TV license (depending on the university) and internet/WiFi, and is represented as one sum. This makes the process of paying for rent and bills a lot simpler for students whose first time moving out begins at freshers’. However, universities do tend to charge a higher amount of rent compared to private landlords, as they are in a strong position of power. When living at home, parents/guardians may decide to also charge rent, but in most cases, it will be substantially lower than living in university halls of residence.

Mum’s the word

Next, not moving away gives you the advantage of still being close to home with your friends and family. Mum and/or Dad might be there to continue to help with your shopping, ironing, cooking, and even picking you up late at night when you’re too drunk to stumble home from the pub. It may also ease the transition into university life. Also, the first year of university is one of the most challenging, mostly due to the fact that it is vastly different to what young people are used to. Some students can encounter issues connected to student finances, social life, relationships, studies, dealing with mental health at university and if you’re at home you may find it easier to confide in friends or family about your problems.

The good, the bad and the ugly

Although living at home during university will help your pocket and lifestyle, it is worth considering that your parents may find it difficult to adjust to perceive you as an adult now, because to them you’re still living at home and scoffing down their roast dinners every Sunday. Furthermore, you may miss out on the mid-week student nights and pre-drinking parties because you have work the next day and can’t get back in time, or can’t get a lift home at 03:00am. These issues can be resolved by ensuring you see your friends when you can and making the effort to socialise more with your classmates, because you won’t have the benefits of finding friends at halls.

Each student will have a different student experience to the next, and although there are advantages and disadvantages to any student accommodation don’t let one student night a week and the desperation of freedom cloud your judgement on living at home. Living at home during university will save you a lot of money and sometimes living at university can become a distraction more than an aid, especially if your institution is in a city like London, where the rents are ridiculously high and there is a distraction on every corner – next to a Starbucks!

Living at home during university allows you to study independently at university, without the distractions of other students and if you do feel like you want to work alongside someone, then there is nothing stopping you visiting the library and working with friends there.