Staying at home is far better than living at uni

Some people seem to think that uni is a chance to spend three years away from Mum and Dad, to spread their wings, and to be their own person -but these people have got it all wrong. Staying at home is the infinitely better option.

For many people, university is about moving away. This means new friends, a new city, a new life, and it’s easy to forget about who you’ve already got. However, for a home student, there’s no such trouble. We still have our best friends from home on our doorstep once we’ve finished a day of seminars.

Yes, of course us commuters still make new mates, but a home student can also keep in contact easily with the ones they already have. Who cares whether you’re besties with all your flatmates in halls? Not the home student, because they already have a tight-knit group. Yes, your flatmates might end up being your best mates, but what if half of them end up being such annoying nuisances that you’d rather walk over hot coals than live with them next year?

Living at home, we don’t have to bother with that. For us, the pressure of freshers week is dramatically reduced. Our best mates from home are only an Uber away, meaning we don’t have to cling to anyone annoying and act like we’ve known them for a decade, we can be friends with whoever we genuinely get on with. This often means our uni friends are better as a result, we take our time, we consider, and we don’t end up desperately lumbered with a squad we don’t like.

Home friends are far superior

Secondly, whilst you may not admit you’re missing Mum when you’re cooped up in halls, at least you’ve known your family all of your life. You know how to live with them and don’t have to deal with petty notes on the fridge and arguments over whose turn it is to buy the washing up liquid. As a home student, you know what’s good for you and don’t have to risk living with people you don’t like for a year. We only have to associate with people we actually like, so that can surely only be a positive?

Plus, who in their right mind likes it when half their money goes on food shopping? And who likes it when half their time is spent doing mundane chores like cooking? If ‘me’ is the answer to both of those, then maybe you made the right choice by moving away.

However, consider getting home from seminars with tea already on the table. Consider not having to spend half an afternoon searching the bargain bins of Tesco, and working out how you’re going to live off crackers and tinnies for the rest of the week. We can spend that shopping money on nights out and things that are actually fun. When it comes to uni life versus home life, the choice is a clear one.

Yes, she might nag a bit, but with Mum there to do your washing and buy your food, the perks of living at home once again prevail.

Who can argue with a full fridge?

Another bonus of living at home is that you know the city. There can be nothing worse than arriving somewhere and not knowing the vibe. Remember those days when you didnt even know that Corp was a thing on Wednesdays? Surely it’s better to cut out the middle-man and stay where you are.

Not only will you be one of the only locals on your course, you’ll be the flavour of the month for recommending nights out, and everyone will want you to come with them. Therefore, you’ll make mates that way, and they’ll probably be people you actually want around you, rather than people you got clumped with to live together with the unlikely intention that you’d ‘become friends.’

So, staying home has its benefits for sure. It’s cheap, has emotional support nearby, and you’re the only local in sight, making you an easy target for friendships. We appreciate what we’ve already got on our doorstep and we still get all the day to day benefits of uni life.

Some people might go to uni to find themselves, but staying at home we get the best of both worlds.