Moving Home After College

In my daily perusing of news headlines, I came across this article that quoted almost 85% of college grads move back home, mostly due to the difficulty finding jobs in the economy. I can certainly believe it. However, the economy wasn't why I moved home after graduating from JBU.

I guess in a way it was, but I had a good reason. I graduated in December and literally moved the next day, mostly due to my parents and their large vehicles being available. My plan was to start Physician's Assistant school in May, and so I could either stay in Siloam and find a job to pay rent (not likely and not desired), or I could move home and get a part-time job while I wait to start PA school. I loved Siloam and my roommates, but I was ready to grow up!

I absolutely loved living at home. I ended up living there for 3 years. When I moved home, my brother was a junior in high school, and since I had been away at college during most of his junior high years, it was a blessing to get to hang out with him and eventually see him graduate high school and start college, all while I was in town with him. I also know my mom loved having me there. And I loved hanging out with her. When I knew I would be moving out of state to Texas, it really saddened me that I would be leaving. It had become "home."

I also was able to reconnect with high school friends, attend graduate school only a 15 minute walk from my mom's house, participate in the celebration of KU's 2008 National Basketball championship, serve my church's youth group and intern with them for a summer, and most of all, be around my family. Not having to pay rent for those 3 years has saved me thousands, but I know no price tag would be worth that experience.

So while some may see moving back home after graduation as a step back, I see it as a time to recconnect with family, reassess goals for the future, and because of the supportive environment, come out a little stronger and more focused than if one got a job right out of college. We all need those times to figure stuff out. And I'm glad I did it at home.