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Students living at home

(6 Posts)
watermeadow Wed 16-Sept-26 14:30:26

A fifth of UK students starting at university now will live at home. One of my granddaughters is one because her parents can’t afford to pay rent and living expenses away for her.
This is a great shame, these kids will miss a lot of the valuable experiences we enjoyed.
My granddaughter has a two hour commute into college so will miss the evening social life. One small advantage is that she is returning to home rather than to a sparse little room among strangers after her miserable early days. Like many, she finds big changes very difficult.

BlueBelle Wed 16-Sept-26 14:35:58

It is a shame I know it costs an arm and a leg but one of my grandaughters went away the shyist, least confident girl you have ever cone across and has ended up at the finish of her masters a totally competent , confident and a fully strong young lady who secured a very grown, up fantastic job in a completely different area. She has faced so many new challenges with great maturity that I m sure she wouldn’t have had the confidence to do if she hadn’t gone away to Uni, and you justvcan’t put a price on that

Georgesgran Wed 16-Sept-26 14:57:02

My BF’s DGD, just 18 has opted to live at home for her first year, when she starts Uni in Newcastle next month and will commute from the coast near Sunderland. Also a shy girl, her parents are respecting her choice, but hope she’ll be confident enough next year to move out and house share. Cost isn’t an issue.

J52 Wed 16-Sept-26 15:09:39

One of our DS attended a university which was amongst the top in the country for the subject he studied. It was 10 miles from home, so for his first year he went into halls of residence in order to get the full student experience.
The only difference was that the students came into our city for night life on a Saturday, so DS spent that night at home taking advantage of Sunday dinner before returning to Uni.
For his subsequent years ( 4 year course) he lived at home, preferring it to student houses! I wonder why?

silverlining48 Wed 16-Sept-26 15:12:19

The assumption that ‘ we all’ enjoyed the freedoms of university is incorrect because few went to university. In the mid 80 s when I graduated 23 years after leaving school, the percentage was 5.

Most people like me left school at 15 to start work, or some ‘stayed on’ until 16 taking two or three GCEs. However its noticeable from their posts that a number on GN went to grammar schools and onto universities. They were the lucky few.

I had two children at primary school so no clubbing or high jinx for me. I was there to get my degree, appreciating the opportunity and not to party.

Your gd appears to have just started at university, once she gets to know more people I am sure she may stay over at fellow students accommodation, so she won’t miss too much of the social life.

Cossy Wed 16-Sept-26 15:19:03

We couldn’t afford to pay for either of our children’s university accommodation, both lived in expensive areas, Oxford and Brighton.

Grants had gone by this time. Eldest, had fees of only £1,500 a year, DD were £9,000 a year. Both had annual maintenance loans.

There’s 12.5 year ga between these two.

Son worked to supplement his income, DD lived with (then) partner and they shared expenses. Partner got a huge maintenance loan and a grant as her mother was single and unemployed. Partner also worked part time.

Our other three children chose not to go to University.