Wait...can I go home after graduation?

I’m about to graduate from college in less than 3 months… and I also am about to graduate and don’t have a full-time job yet or a place to live… I don’t think.

I knew the real world was coming sooner than I anticipated, but does that mean that I can’t go home and sleep in my childhood bed for just one more summer?

There are many parents out there who will not allow their children to move back in with them after college graduation. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have a job; they are now on their own.

Thankfully, I have two parents who will support and help me for as long as I need (to a certain extent).

Not only is having a place to live after graduation a weight off my shoulders, but also I absolutely love living with my mom.

For some people, the last place they picture moving after graduation is back home to dear ole mom and dad, but surprisingly, according to elitedaily.com, 21 million young adults lived with their parents after college in 2012.

There are some cons of living at home after graduation, but first, I am going to give you, with the help of elitedaily.com, six reasons why you should actually consider living at home after graduation

1. Save money - one of the biggest pluses to living at home is being able to save money. Some parents may make you pay rent, or help with groceries, but that bill probably won’t be near the amount you would be paying if you had your own place.
2. Learn how to budget - you might have a job lined up for after college, but it is conveniently located in your hometown. You are getting a paycheck that is more money than you’ve ever had in your entire life and you don’t know what to do with that kind of cash. Living at home will help you learn to manage and budget your money.
3. Parents - remember the days when you were in college and sick as a dog… well, you’re back at home now and your parents can finally help take care of you again. Parents also will help you with little things that you didn’t get at school, like occasional laundry or vacuuming the living room.
4. Buying the stuff you’ll eventually need over a period of time - living at home parents have all the stuff you need; pots and pans, shower curtains, etc. If you are planning to move out in the next few months, you are able to buy the things you’ll need over a period of time, instead of all at once.
5. Paying off your debt - the average student in the U.S. graduates with almost $30,000 in student loans. That is almost a year’s salary for some after taxes. What sounds more appealing? Paying off your student loan in as little as 26 months (with your “rent money”) or over the course of 100 months (8.3 years) by making the minimum payments? It is much easier to transition into the real world when you’re not being held back by college debt five years after graduating. Even if you don’t pay the entire balance before moving out, every little bit counts.
6. Finding a good job - maybe you’ve graduated and you haven’t had any luck finding a job. If you live at home you can take your time to find something you are really passionate about, rather then settling on a job you know you will hate.

Now, these reasons are not the only reasons, but they are some pretty darn good ones.

You obviously can’t just be a bum and play video games every day and not help out around the house, or better yet not even look for a job if you decide to live at home.

I thankfully still have my usual summer job/internship that I will be able to continue working until I find where I belong in the “real world”.

This will give me the money to begin buying things for my own place, to start paying off loans, and to start saving for rent and all those other fun expenses when you live on your own.

I am very thankful that my mom will let me move in after graduation, but hopefully by that time I will have a job lined up, and an apartment calling my name. But until then, knowing I can go home is good enough for me.