Should You Move Out of Your Parents’ House for College?

While many people choose to move away from home to go to college, others choose to stay at home while attending post-secondary education. There are benefits to both options so it’s important to consider both and make the decision that’s right for you.

Benefits of moving out of your parents’ house for college

Independence

You’ll have the freedom to make decisions for yourself and build life skills such as managing finances, cooking, and maintaining a living space on your own. You’ll have your own space and your own responsibilities as well as an opportunity to build your confidence and to grow.

The Experience

There are social benefits to moving away from home. If you’re in a new place, you’ll put yourself out there to make new friends with new perspectives. For a lot of people, the chance to be more independent and responsible for yourself is a great learning experience, especially when you’re surrounded by the college community. You’ll need to learn to care for yourself and your home. It gives you a chance to find out who you are without the influence of family. For many people, it is a life-changing experience.

Convenience

If you move closer to your college, you’ll be closer to class, college supports like academic services and wellness services and college amenities, like the gym. You’ll spend less time commuting, leaving more time for studies and social activities. Living close to or on campus means you’ll be living closer to your new friends as well, so it’s easy to meet up for coffee and a bite to eat.

More College Options

There might be one or two colleges within reasonable commuting distance from your family’s home. However, if you’re willing to move away from home, this will open up many doors for you in terms of what colleges and therefore programs are available to you. One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a college is the program you want to take. Choosing a college just because it’s the closest to home might lead to disappointment in program options, available supports and quality of education.

Why might you choose to stay at home for college?

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Financial

Living with your parents is most likely going to be cheaper than moving out. This is one of the biggest factors students have to consider when deciding where to live. Without the added cost of living in an apartment or residence on campus, you’ll save money during your studies. Make sure you discuss with your family what living at home during college might look like. They may have expectations of how you will contribute to the household or what your social schedule will look like.

Family support

If you love mom’s cooking, moving away from home and needing to cook for yourself in addition to your other responsibilities might feel overwhelming. If you live at home, you might receive support from your family that you otherwise wouldn’t, such as someone willing to cook for you, the ability to borrow the car when you need it or the comfort and support of a family member nearby.

Things to consider when deciding whether you’ll move out for college

Living On Campus vs Living Off Campus

If you want to move away from home but would still like some extra support during this transitional period of your life, you have the opportunity to live on campus in residence. There are many advantages to living on campus. Residence provides support with things like the transition from living at home to living independently, building a social circle, and conflict resolution. Resident Advisors will be available as well to support you on an individual basis when you need it.

Academic Focus Time

You’ll need plenty of time outside of class to focus on your studies. If you move out, will you be disciplined enough to keep up with your studies? This might be a good opportunity to grow and take on responsibility for your own time management. If you stay home, will there be too many distractions from studying?

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Social Life

Will you put yourself out there to make new friends if you live at home? If you’re commuting from home, will you be too far from school to join your friends for evenings out or study sessions? Consider also that if you choose to move away to college, you’ll be outside of the social dynamics of family and you’ll need to work to build a support circle. If you do move away, be sure to call those who are important to you–it's great to set up a video chat when you need support.

Life Experience

Living independently encourages personal growth and self-discovery as you navigate new challenges and learn from diverse experiences. You’ll get opportunities to develop essential life skills such as time management, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. Campus life also exposes you to a multicultural environment, where you can interact with individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives.

If you are thinking about moving out, you may want to consider what it takes to find a place to live. You may choose to live on campus in residence or you may wish to find an apartment or house to rent. Learn more about options for student housing in London, Ontario.

Learn more about life at Fanshawe. Visit our next Open House on Saturday, March 29, 2025.