Psy 360

Comparison and Contrast Essay

ENG/220

Derrick Jones

January 3, 2017

David Libhert

As a first time college student, college is a very exciting experience for many. As a first time student, the excitement is all around. Students imagine the party life, the excitement of meeting new friends, the party life, and the idea of gaining more responsibilities. For some students, it is exciting and for some, the feeling of change takes over. Some students are glad to start a new journey, and branch out on their own. Although some love the change, some start to get very emotional. The feeling of worry takes over, as some fear leaving from home with their parents. Some students wonder should they stay at home with their parents, and obtain their education, and some wonder should they start a new journey and move out from with their parents. Of course, most students say that they are ready to leave to start a new life, but some students feel that if they stay at home, they can have a better chance of doing well. Students that choose to stay at home with their parents while attending a higher educational facility have a better advantage than students that choose to live in student living or in an apartment.

Students that choose to live with their parents while attending college have more support than a student that stays on a college campus or in an apartment. This all has to do with autonomy (Strom, Strom, 2011). Students usually crave the support from family and friends, while they are on their journey to pursue a college degree. Without the support, the students usually are not motivated to do their best. Being at home with parents, students can constantly be reminded of how good of a job they are doing, and they also can get additional help when it is needed (Strom, Strom, 2011). The downside of this is that the students are less responsible. They have the benefit of their parents doing everything for them, so they are very dependent on family and friends (Strom, Strom, 2011). Being on a college campus, students sometimes are not as motivated, due to peer pressure (Roemer, Walsh, 2014). When it comes to character, students that decide to stay at home with their parents while continuing their education, develop a different character than students that live on their own. Students that stay at home, have the support and better character, because they still depend on their parents and friends to keep them going (Strom, Strom, 2011). Due to the student not being used to being on their own, they do not start new things that they have not became prepared for. Students that branch out on their own, usually jump into things with little to no support from new found friends (Roemer, Walsh, 2014). The better side to branching out is that the student that branches out are less dependent on others, and they have more responsibilities (Strom, Strom, 2011). The independent student knows the value of doing things on their own, and not relying on so much support from family and friends (Strom, Strom, 2011). The student is able to manage on their own. School is a priority for the independent student because they value being successful, and obtaining an education and career is their goal (Roemer, Walsh, 2014).

Next, one wonderful aspect of living at home with parents while obtaining a college education is that a student has the potential to focus and develop a better career. When a student lives at home, and works on a career, they do not have the hassle of trying to get adjusted to new living arrangements, while trying to maintain a career (Roemer, Walsh, 2014). They are still at home with their parents, so they can go to work, school, and home, with less stress. College life can be very exciting, there are parties, plenty of friends, and usually alcohol consumption (Roemer, Walsh, 2014). Living at home, the student can limit the amount of extracurricular activities that they are involved in (Kirkendall, Doueck, Saladino, 2009).  Due to the student being used to their living arrangements, they have less to worry about when it comes to interviewing, doing application, and doing other career oriented tasks (Kirkendall, Doueck, Saladino, 2009). Staying at home with parents sets the ground work for a student obtaining a successful career.