Is moving out of home an essential part of the college experience?

DA7800

Hi all,

In 6th year at the moment and still considering my options regarding my future and next year, once I'm finished. I have a very well informed idea of the type of course I want to do, and I have a few picked out. My question would be, all things considered, do people feel that moving out and away from home is a vital part of the experience?

If I was to get my current first preference, as I have them laid out in my head, the university I would be attending is a 25 minute commute from my front door. Obviously living so close doesn't really justify moving out of the house (for the first year or two anyway) but should I be considering options in other counties/cities for the experience of living elsewhere? Putting aside the issue of which course is better, more renowned, etc.

All opinions welcome, those of people who either did or didn't and have some experience of their own on either side of the issue are preferable.

Tom Dunne

Your priority should be your course, doing what you enjoy and your career.

Moving out and the whole social scene should come a distant second.

Peregrinus

Whether moving out of home is "an essential part of the college experience" doesn't really depend on the distance between home and college, does it? If you think it's desirable to move out of home, and (of course) if you can afford it, then move out of home. Don't choose a course in a far-off college so that you can pretend that moving out is something forced on you by circumstances rather than being a positive choice.

I didn't move out when I went to college. Financially, it just wasn't an option. If the only college place available to me had been in another town, I would probably have been unable to take it up. As it was, the commute was about 25 minutes by bike.

My wife, by contrast, moved out of home the summer before she went to college, and never lived at home again, even though she went to college in her home town, and could easily have commuted. (They had more money!)

By my final year, finances had improved and I did move out, though in practical terms it would have been perfectly feasibly to continue living at home.

All other things being equal, it's probably best to move out. You don't necessarily have to do that on day 1, though; you could consider staying at home for the first year while you get used to the new lie of the land, academically and socially, and then move out. Apart from anything else, you're going to make a whole bunch of new friends at college; you don't necessarily want to be stuck sharing accommodation with some bell-end chosen because you were at school with him and you didn't actually hate him.

It does come down to money, though. If you don't have to move out because of distance, etc, there are two questions. One, can I afford to move out? (If not, at least your decisions are simplified.) Two, if have the money, is that how I want to spend it? Moving out is good, but is it better than any other way the money could be spent? And of course if the financing is significantly dependent on Mammy and Daddy, they have to be involved in these decisions too.

DA7800

In all likelihood I will be staying exactly where I am if I get my first choice. I just wanted to know if I would be missing out. Thanks for the input.

Bigus

Just go abroad for Summer work, assuming you've no failure's , that'll be better experience.

CelticRambler

I lived at home for the whole of my time in UCD, took off travelling a few weeks after graduation and never went back ... Financially, it makes sense. There's absolutely no reason to burden yourself with the "college experience" of looking and paying for digs; the only disadvantage is that you'll have Mammy keeping an eye on you and everyone you might choose to bring home.

A lot of what you might hear about the college experience is essentially one year-long pub-crawl and really not worth the expense. Anything more - like getting involved in clubs/societies/trips/whatever - won't be the least bit affected by living at home.

Do what Bigus says - get your "moving out" experience by going abroad during the holidays.

mdudy

University is about so much more than just finding a job after. Education should be for education's sake. It's about new experiences, new challenges and new ideas. Yeah it sounds sappy, but traditionally that's what it's about.

Now whilst I may be in a privileged position, both my parents are well qualified and one is a lecturer, I would have been kicked out of the house when I started university no matter if it was 30 minutes down the road or 4 hours. Not because they didn't want me there, or that I am a nuisance, but that they recognise that going to university is about living away from home, it's about that freedom to do what you want, it's about managing your own education, own time and 'own' money. You can make of it what you will, be that a year-long pub-crawl or just hanging out with friends whenever you want, to most people it would be an intrinsic part of the university experience.

So yeah, if it's at all financially feasible I would definitely recommend that you move away from home, no matter how close it is.