Real cost of college; freedom’s high price or home’s comfort
Dominic DeCono
Freedom isn’t free.
At some point everyone wants to leave their parents house and live the way they want with no one to answer to.
Trouble is, that isn’t cheap
Almost everyone knows that living at home saves considerably more money compared to a student trying to make it on their own.
The question is, just how much do they save?
For some students like Brandon Trotter, living at home costs him nothing.
“I don’t have to pay rent or bills or anything like that so I am able to go school and play football at MCC without having to worry about money. I am really blessed”, he said.
For other students such as Favian Cast, he is not able to save any money because he lives on his own.
“I pay $700 dollars in rent a month and the rest of my money goes to food and bills so I really can’t save any of it”, he said.
Everyone’s financial circumstance is different; some are fortunate enough to not have to pay for much because they get help from their parents, others are forced to work full time while going to school or take out loans just to afford school.
At the end of the day for most students, they have to choose between two things; money or freedom.
In a survey at MCC, students who said they live on their own after they add up rent, food, cell phone plans, car insurance payments and other expenses the average monthly bill ranges anywhere from $900 to $1,200.
Without scholarships, student loans or financial help from another source, going to school would be impossible for students living on their own and saving money isn’t even an option.
By comparison, in the same survey the average amount of money students spend living at home on bills they pay is between nothing and $200.
On average, those that live at home save an estimated $862 per month.
But both living situations offer unique advantages that don’t involve money.
Paul Harasha, a sociology professor at MCC, says students who live on their own generally gain more life skills than those who live at home
“Those that live on their own tend to mature quicker and find out more about themselves than those who live at home simply because they are forced to do things they wouldn’t normally have to do. When you have to learn time management, how to live on a budget and do everything yourself, you discover yourself rather quickly”, he said.
But even with the freedom and character building living on your own presents, the cost can outweigh the benefits in the long run.
“In today’s society, most students tend to get caught up in the pop culture and life they lead away from home that they forget about how important school is and make it a lower priority”, he said.
Harasha also goes on to say that students of this generation are less patient when it comes to luxuries they want to possess and prioritize the wrong things.
“College kids in today’s world are noticeably greedier than they were 20 or 30 years and it’s evident in their purchasing habits.”
“They want to have flat screen TVs, expensive phones and they want them now and they don’t seem to realize those things, as good as they are, they weigh down how much they can be flexible with their money.”
