In my opinion it is not the major that leads to living in the basement- it is the “kid.” I know one student who graduated in May and refuses to work. Her parents continue to give her unlimited use of the car, credit card, etc. In my opinion if they took these luxuries away that young adult would get a job and be on the road towards independence. Right now she has a list of “top” companies and will only work for one of them. I am reasonably certain (based on her history) that my daughter (still in undergrad) will be successful whether she is a nursing major or whether she decides to major in anthropology- she is highly driven and hates sitting home with nothing to do.
I know communications majors who interned for CNN and are currently interning across the globe. I also know communications majors who have done nothing except attend parties. In my opinion it is the student and not the major.
I don’t get the desire to judge other people’s choices. I’ve lived long enough to see the best laid plans of smart, energetic people go awry. For example, Laura Hillenbrand majored in English, did not graduate due to ill health, rarely leaves the house, and yet has been successful.
If, for example, the parents live in New York City, and the child carries student debt, it would be pragmatic to live with parents while working in NYC. The money saved is better spent paying down student debt than paying landlords.
“In my opinion it is not the major that leads to living in the basement- it is the “kid.” I know one student who graduated in May and refuses to work. Her parents continue to give her unlimited use of the car, credit card, etc. In my opinion if they took these luxuries away that young adult would get a job and be on the road towards independence. Right now she has a list of “top” companies and will only work for one of them.”
It’s not just the child - the parents bear some responsibility too, as in your example.
I have a son who moved back home while looking hard for a job. Many companies are not hiring now due to oil and gas problems and the economy in general. He had 3 businesses say they have a freeze until December but they wanted him to come back again then. He just got a job! The plan for him is to work 6 months and save as much as possible. Then, he will move closer to the job. I am just so thankful he found a place to work. He was a finance major with decent grades.
He attended Oklahoma State University. He was able to attend a class in New York where he met several executives on Wall Street and he was lucky enough to graduate in 4 years.
@Pizzagirl I think it depends on the family and the house. In many homes moving into the basement is almost like having an apartment. They can be as autonomous as they wish.
This is interesting. I always thought “living in the basement” was a joke, the idea being that your parents are shaming you and don’t want to see you. I imagine it as a nasty basement.
S#2 slowly moved to the basement when he was in HS. It has a door to the outside (so he doesn’t have to come upstairs), a kitchenette, bedroom, full bath, desk/workstation area and living room type area. So when he comes home to visit, he prefers to stay down there, as it’s more comfortable and familiar to him. We have remodeled it and it no longer looks like a “man cave” . Its actually quite nice down there, and I spend a fair amount of time down there. We used to joke that I was going to be just enough of a nag that they wouldn’t want to come home and live in the basement. I apparently did too god of a job as both live now on the opposite coast!
We don’t even have a basement for our D to move into. She’d have to move back into her 9x11 ft bedroom.
We have a third bedroom my husband uses as his home office, but it’s the same size as hers.
If it comes to the point where she cannot afford housing, but is working, we can help her out financially with a deposit, etc. and maybe part of the rent for a while. I’d rather do that than have all three of us in this tiny house again. It worked the whole time she was in school, but I have a feeling it wouldn’t work so well after college grad and she’s more independent.
Brother is 27 and still living at home, but he didn’t graduate college. I lived in this house all my life throughout college and got my first engineering job in town ~~ So going to save up on all those rent and living expenses I never had to pay
I can’t say I find living home with Mom and Dad too embarrassing. My father didn’t move away from home until he married my mom so he could focus his salary on getting his loans over with, rather than having them lurk in the distance (plus my grandparents were quite old, they needed him). It’s what I plan to do when I’m done. I’d rather pay them off and get on with my life, I hate when I owe.
The plan for him is to work 6 months and save as much as possible. Then, he will move closer to the job. I am just so thankful he found a place to work. He was a finance major with decent grades.