The Benefits of Staying At Home vs Student Accommodation
OK, so you’re excited about starting university. But before you rush off to go hunting for a party house, it might be worth considering the benefits of staying at home and remaining with your family while you study. So, here are our top 5 reasons to stay at home while studying at uni rather than take up student accommodation.
One of the biggest and most obvious benefits of staying at home v student accommodation is cost. The average student outside of London pays out around £12,000 per year on living costs such as accommodation rent, food, bills and so on. Inside London this is around £13,500 a year. Imagine what you could do with all that money you’ll be saving (beer anyone?)
Not only will you be living probably completely rent free, or on very low board costs, you probably won’t pay bills either. It’s likely that your parents would ask for a contribution towards the house, food and bills each month but this tends to be very low (c. £100-£300 a month). If you live alone, you’re accountable or rent, water, gas, electric, council tax, TV, broadband and everything else that goes with your own house.
Ability To Study At Home
At home, you’re likely to have better computer and broadband access than if you were forking out for it all yourself on campus or in a private student house. This means that you can enjoy the benefit of accessing your student materials at home and studying in a quiet space without student friends blaring out music, asking you to the pub or the broadband cutting out every two minutes.
Encouragement and Less Distractions
You will probably find that your parents will still encourage you to study more often and you’re less likely to get tempted to go to the pub or put off a night of study to watch the football. This can be a great benefit as it’s pointless paying out all those course fees to fail for not giving it your all.
You’ll Have More Study Options
Depending on the type of course you’re doing, it might not be available to you at your top university choice and you might need to travel further away to get to your preferred course. Alternatively, you could stay at home an do an open university course to get the best course for your needs without having to travel.
You Will Still Be a ‘Proper’ Student
You’re no less a student just because you’re staying at home. All it means it you can always ensure your washing machine and cooker work (if you have to even cook at all), you can still go out to the pub and enjoy wild nights out but you can retreat to a safe, quiet haven when you want to escape student life. And believe us, after 3 nights of partying on the trot, you will want to snuggle down in your own bed with mum bringing you up a cuppa.
