Graduation will be approaching in just a month for many of us. There’s so much to plan in this time -- we need to make sure our grades are up to standard and that our resumes are on point to send out. And aside from grades and resumes, we also have to figure out where we’re going to live after graduation. 

Should we find a place in our college’s town, move to a whole new city, or move back home with our parents? It’s one of the toughest decisions we have to make at this point in our lives. We’ve broken down the pros and cons of moving out on your own or moving back home. We’ve included the important things you should consider to make sure this isn’t such a stressful time for you.

Moving Home: Cons

Many of us are not at all excited to move back in with our parents after graduating. After years of living independently without your parents, moving back in with them may feel like moving backwards instead of moving forward in life. For some graduates this prospect won’t be too demoralizing, but for others who may have strict, controlling, or demanding parents, moving back in with them could be quite a painful experience. It can feel painful to have your home life micromanaged when you’re ready to live as an independent adult. 

Some people were very excited to leave their boring towns and can’t imagine choosing to go back to what they see as a dull lifestyle. Moving back home can severely limit your job choices. If your parents live anywhere near a lively city, this may not be an issue for you, but some people come from really small towns that aren’t loaded with job prospects -- especially for  recent college grads. 

There are several cities around the country with lots of job opportunities it wouldn’t hurt to take. These places tend to be filled with other young professionals starting out their lives. It will be an exciting experience to grow in a thriving community full of your peers. 

Another con is that you won’t have a place to call your own. Even if you live with roommates, there tends to be a sense of accomplishment that comes with getting a place for yourself. You will feel ready to move into a new chapter when you have a new place, but staying with your parents can give you the opposite feeling. The motivation to build your life can be stunted in your parent’s home. You might become complacent and comfortable with hanging around aimlessly, especially if your parents would allow you to stay for however long you need. You would need to actively motivate yourself to seek new work and accomplishments when bills aren’t a top priority.

Moving Home: Pros

Moving back home does definitely have its upsides, especially when it comes to finances. You’ve likely been saddled with student loans you’ll have to begin repaying in just a few months. Student loans can be crushing to your finances, especially when you are getting paid an entry level salary or still trying to break into your career while working low paying jobs. 

Most parents will be paying all or most of the bills while their children live with them, despite their children's’ stage in life. Having little to no living expenses for a year or more can be an immense help for someone just starting out. Moving back in with your parents will also give you time to plot your next moves. Maybe you’re still unsure of which field to enter, or you are still deciding if you should continue your studies. You might want to move into a new city entirely, but have a job set up for you before you get there. Living at home will allow you to research different cities and apply for jobs without the anxiety of paying for housing. 

Many people straight out of college have to share a space with roommates, and depending on who you are, your parents might seem like the better option. When you live with someone new, you have to learn to accommodate them while making sure they do the same for you. This can be difficult based on who you live with and can even get combative. There is no learning curve when it comes to living with your parents and you won’t have to make yourself comfortable since you already are.

How to Make Living With Your Parents Work

Communication is key when it comes to getting along with your parents as a new adult. Make sure you understand what they might expect from you regarding rent, bills, groceries, and rules before you decide to move back in with them. Rules, especially, are important to go through in case there are some ultimatums you can’t get behind. Guests and curfews, for example, can be a sore spot. But if you talk through your concerns (and maybe even get the deal in writing) before moving back to your old bedroom, living at home could end up working out for you.

Moving Out: Cons

Moving out is the ultimate dream for most graduates, but that dream does come with significant costs. For those living on their own for the first time, rent isn’t the only thing you’re going to have to pay each month. There are utility bills, insurance bills, parking fees, and other home expenses. Even monthly expenses like toilet paper and food can add up over time. Depending on the home you choose, you might also be responsible for chores like lawn care and snow shoveling. Balancing these new responsibilities can be a major burden when you’re balancing a new job and social life, but once you are acclimated to it, it’ll become like second nature to you.

Living with strangers can be a huge burden, and living alone can be lonely. After growing up in your parents’ home and living with roommates in college, you may not yet be accustomed to living alone. It can feel lonely, especially when you move to a new city and have to make friends all over again. But having roommates can also be a hassle. You might think you’ll be getting a built-in friend, but instead end up making a live-in enemy who has completely different opinions on cleanliness and quiet hours than you do. Your parents can be annoying sometimes, but still might be more tolerable than someone who is new and unpredictable to you.

Moving Out: Pros

Moving out on your own means that you get to have freedom, something that isn’t readily offered at your parent’s home. Having a space of your own signifies to yourself and others that you are an independent person ready to take the world on by yourself. You’ll get to dictate your space and your rules for what might be the first time. And even if you have roommates, you’ll still have a lot more freedom when choosing your own housing than you do in the college dorms. There will be no more RAs and dorm rules at your new place!

What really makes moving out ideal for college students is that it opens up a ton of doors regarding location. When you’re free to choose where you want to live, you can explore and grow in new towns or cities. You can move wherever your new work takes you, or simply move to your favorite city or neighborhood. Making plans to start your new life now instead of further in the future will make you feel more motivated, which can transfer to your job hunt and work behavior. Knowing that you need to succeed to maintain your new lifestyle will keep you working hard and always working to advance further in your career.

How to Make It Work

The first thing you might need to do is sit down and make a budget for yourself. Ask for your parents’ help with estimating expenses in your chosen location and then see if it will work with your projected starting salary. If your pay won't cover it all, or if your budget ends up being tight when you add in any estimated student loan payments, you might still be able to make it happen with a few sacrifices. 

You can choose to live right outside of a large city, rent a studio apartment, or have a paying roommate. With just a little bit of maneuvering, living on your own after college can certainly be feasible. 

When preparing to graduate college, you have to focus on what your life will be afterwards. This prospect can be just as exciting as it is scary. Make sure to take our advice so that you can make the best choice for you!