A brand new diploma, graduation caps thrown in the air, one last moment with classmates you have known for ages. Then, all of a sudden, a terrifying cloud that has been hovering over your head since the beginning of junior year bursts into a violent storm of expectations-moving out.

Society’s standards are that kids magically have enough funds to provide for themselves, their education (if they are pursuing one), and a place to live once they graduate. This expectation is horrific. How am I now expected to have thousands upon thousands of dollars to move out just because I’m an adult in the eyes of the government? 

Most people don’t understand the numerous options living at home provides. One of the positives is that you don’t have to live with strangers! I would hate having to pack up my life and move into a dorm that barely passes the health inspection. And though I’ve had to live with my annoying brothers for the past 18 years of my life, I am at least familiar with how to avoid them or annoy them as well. 

The idea of having to get to know someone and sleep in the same room as them at the same time is just awkward. It’s like, “Oh! I don’t really know you all that well, but let’s live together even though you could kill me in my sleep!” 

An additional benefit of living at home is that you don’t have to worry about paying dorm room fees, which have skyrocketed over the years. The average dorm cost is between $8,000 and $13,000 depending on which college you attend. 

The cost of rent or living in a dorm room is one of the main reasons why I’m choosing to stay at home. It’s simply just too expensive for me, 3 times as expensive with triplets. 

In addition to dorm room costs, other purchases in college like textbooks and materials needed for classes all start to pile up and make a grand total of student debt, which sucks big time. Many students don’t realize the opportunity of staying at home for college. 

Another benefit of staying at home is that you can stay in the comfort of knowing that your whole life won’t turn upside down. The idea of moving out of my mom’s house which I’ve literally lived in for years just scares me. 

Everything I’ve ever known would be gone in exchange for a whole new home void of everything I love. I wouldn’t be able to see my mom, my adorable cats, or my brothers as much as I normally do. It’s depressing to think about. 

Finally, I am not moving out because I have a home that is stable and secure, and I want to still be close to my family, especially my mom. If anything ever happened to my mother and I had moved out, I would feel horrible and ultimately blame myself. 

Ultimately, the main reason I am not on the “moving out bandwagon” is because I want to save as much money as possible and stay close to my family, friends, and community that I’ve loved since elementary school.  It’s not the best choice for everyone, but it is for me. I’ve made memories in this community and my home that could last a thousand lifetimes, and I don’t see myself leaving it behind anytime soon.