5 Reasons To Go Back Home After College

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

Image via Ed Bierman @ Flickr

This is a guest post by Patrick Mullaney over at HeyMullaney.com.

Patrick Mullaney currently resides back home in Downingtown, PA. His commute takes him to Radnor, PA, and the two are not far apart, hence his decision to live at home for now. He writes on his blog, HeyMullaney. Feel free to email him, as he loves to have conversations with other people, not just his imaginary friends: patmullaney24 [at] gmail [dot] com.

I know I’m not breaking any brand spankin’ new ground here with a post about living at home after college.

The New York Times beat me to it over the summer, and three years ago Ryan Healy wrote on the subject on Penelope Trunk’s blog. Apparently it’s a widely written about topic, but I want to give my two cents about it.

A quick thing about me: I’m 23, I live at home, I graduated from school two years ago (2009). I am thinking about moving out soon, but the whole saving money thing is great. Living at home really has its benefits.

Here are five reasons I say that:

1. Freedom

You might think this word sounds ridiculous in this discussion, but hear me out. While your home, if you’re lucky, you have the freedom to search for the job *you want**.* You don’t have to settle for the first job you see out of college. If you have cool parents, they will give you the time and space you need to figure out what you want to do. Many people feel like they cannot be independent at home, a friend of mine moved out because he couldn’t stand answering to his mother, I wouldn’t have
that problem. While my mother did worry constantly about when I was going to find a job, she allowed me to find a job I was comfortable with. Even though she once suggested I try to get a job at WaWa or Kohl’s, I forgive her.

2. Re-Energize

Some people take a year off after college to see the world or whatever. I’m not suggesting you do that, but you can if you want
(obviously). All I’m suggesting here is you recharge your batteries back at home for a bit. You just spent four years at a college working your butt off. Take some time for yourself to rest and rejuvenate.

3. Bonding Time

If you love your family as much as I do, you want to spend as much time around them as possible. You were just away from
them for a long time, so hang out for a bit. If I was working in L.A. right now I would not have been able to meet my nephew right away. I was able to be there the day of. I know I could have taken a plane back to see him if I was working somewhere else, but the closeness is an advantage. Being closest to the people that love you the most is the most important thing you can do for yourself in a trying time like post grad life.

4. Free Food

There’s nothing better than some home-cooking. And you can get your laundry done. I hope that your parents make you pay for
some stuff while you’re at home, but they usually will provide some perks for you as long as you are proactive about finding a job.

5. Money

The single most important reason for living at home: it saves you tons of money. Sure, your parents can ask you to pay for some rent
and utilities, but it won’t be anywhere near what somewhere like New York City (or even Philadelphia, which is the closest city to me).

Now, having said all these things, if you have the opportunity to get out on your own, by all means, do it. This is not the “5 Reasons You Have to Move Back Home” list, I would move out myself if I felt comfortable in doing so. Because I know that if I were to move out now, I wouldn’t be able to save as much money as I want to. I’m building a nice nest egg for when I do eventually move out (and I swear I’m going to soon, Mom and Dad).

You all know how to make decisions for yourself. I just wanted to show you a few of the many reasons why living at home after college is a very smart move.

Now be sure to be home by 11.

Got something to say? Grad Meets World is always looking for guest bloggers!