Published: March 4, 2010

College: four years of independent bliss… minus all that work we’re supposed to be doing. What happens, though, when the fun is over? Come graduation, many students are faced with the decision to either stick it out on their own or move back home with their parents.

When faced with the daunting question of where they are going to live next year, most students default to their future plans, claiming what they are doing will determine where they will live.

“[It] depends on where I decide to go for grad school. If the grad school is near home, I will most likely live at home. If not, I will be living near or at school. Also, my housing situation will depend on financial aid,” said Peter Muller, FCLC ’10.

“Last semester I was looking consistently [for jobs]. I got a few phone calls. I haven’t found anything yet, though,” said Bianca Rodrigues, FCLC ’10. “I’ll get a part-time job and I will be staying at home with my parents to save some money.”

“Hopefully, I will move home to Virginia for the summer to save money and move into an apartment wherever I go to school, though probably not in the city, as I am looking for a more suburban experience, which will also be cheaper,” said Morgan Greene, FCLC ’10. “If I end up waiting another year for medical school, I will probably live at home with my parents for a year and work full time to save up some money but then definitely move out.”

“After graduation I will be moving home and working in Seattle for the summer. Then I’m off to graduate school, so I will either be heading back to university housing or I will be looking to rent my first apartment. Either way, it’s going to be an adjustment,” said Katy Corum, FCLC ’10.

Some students claim moving home is the smartest option, economically speaking.

“I’ve thought about moving out many times, but because of student loans, I’m playing it safe and staying home until everything is paid off. I wouldn’t want to start the real world with debt on my shoulders,” said  Erika Fernandez, FCLC ’10.

“At this point, things are definitely up in the air with respect to where I will be living come fall 2010,” Corum said. “Coming home is definitely an adjustment for both me and my family. I have to get used to family responsibilities again. For my parents, it is also an adjustment; they get used to the quiet and then when we get home for the summer, the hustle and bustle of the household definitely increases. It takes time, but eventually we all transition back to the rhythm of a four person household.”

Other students hope to be able to remain living on their own post-graduation.

“I plan to move out given that I have the financial stability to do so,” said Justin Stark, FCLC ’10. “I feel it will be counterproductive after being on my own for four years to move back home. If I could survive in NYC as an 18-year-old college freshman, I can do so as a 22-year old-college graduate.”

While moving back into your bedroom plastered with posters and high school pictures isn’t always the most desirable option, some students still find the positives in the situation.

Regardless of where students unpack their bags come May, there seem to be positives to both options.

“Some of the upsides to being home are that my mom still does my laundry, being able to drive a car, home-cooked dinners and most importantly, spending time with my family,” Corum said.

“The positives [of living on my own] are the freedom and responsibility to learn to care of myself,” Stark said.

It seems that graduating seniors are still undecided when it comes to their living situations for next year. Yet no matter where they find themselves waking up, there is always a positive. If you give up freedom for your bedroom at home, at least mom’s making breakfast.