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The issue is just that people feel that moving out automatically makes them more mature, when it actually doesn’t. Like fizix2 said, you’ve only increased in maturity if you successfully handle the increased difficulties that come with living away from home.</p>
<p>Moving out just gives you an opportunity to find out whether you’re more mature. The only people that really benefit from the experience are those that use it as an opportunity to change themselves for the better, and that’s definitely not something you see often.</p>
<p>Most people just move out because of a) geographical constraints of going to a far-away college (which is perfectly valid) or b) to get away from their parents, which is immature itself. I’m a commuter as well, and I fail to grasp why some of the people from my high school and other nearby high schools who are also going to my college are staying in the dorms. I find it to be an enormous waste of time, effort, and money. I don’t find myself all that socially hindered by the fact that I live ~15 minutes away, rather than 5 minutes away; perhaps things are different for those with longer commutes.</p>
<p>Time is the most important consideration - there are many more productive things I want to be doing with my time (mainly research) than fighting with my roommate, waiting in line to do laundry, or lying awake at night unable to fall asleep because my roommate is playing loud music, hooking up with some random girl just 5 feet away, or puking his intestines out after getting lit up like a Christmas tree at the weekly frat party.</p>