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Like most other students, going to university is an exciting time to move out and experience independence. However, during a master, this can be difficult without the usual financial help you would receive during a bachelor’s degree, so moving out might not be a viable option for most.
In 2021 I just couldn’t justify spending that extra money to move out! All my classes were online, I wouldn’t have received the maintenance loan or bursaries I got in undergrad, and one of the best museum studies courses ended up being a 20-minute walk from my parents’ home! So it was a no brainer to stay where I was, or at least until I knew where my placement will be.
Cons
Since staying at home means I am sharing a space with several other people, it made it very difficult to adjust my schedule to accommodate all the other things happening in the house. Usually, in student accommodation, even if you share with others, you are ultimately responsible for yourself, have clear boundaries of your own space, and work on similar activities and schedules from university. But living with family comes with a lot more responsibility in the daily household activities, not to mention the different working schedules. Sometimes I find myself staying up late to finish assignments, so by the time I get a couple hours of sleep, others are waking up and getting ready (sometimes not so quietly!). My parents also insist on eating together, which can be an excellent way to catch up with each other when we’ve all spent the day in our separate rooms working away. Still, it can also be inconvenient having to stop despite finally being productive. (I’m a serial procrastinator!)
Lockdown also brought along a new set of issues. My small bedroom which was where I normally go to take same time out and have a break, also became the space I worked my part time job from and the space I took my uni classes from and the space I organised society events from. Having a space with so much going on made it difficult to compartmentalise and made my days feel hectic with multiple tasks stacked on top of each other. I had multiple different calendar and reminders on one desk for each of my roles meaning I couldn’t step away from one activity and focus my attention solely on the other. Even though other students may have faced the same pressures in student accommodations, most of them would also have had the opportunity take a few days out and go back to their family home to visit, providing a small relief from uni pressure. But I was already at home so had no where I could escape to, unfortunately.
Having essential workers as parents also added the additional difficulty of having to miss out on the small windows of socialising provided between lockdowns. Trying to make sure I was bubbling safely without putting other students and my friends at risk during small meet ups or bringing something back that may affect my parents’ jobs was so difficult to balance. but I was glad to be part of my society’s committee to have that extra opportunity to talk to my fellow classmates and be hands on in planning virtual events that I could socialise in without worry.
Pros
Having said that, living at home has its advantages! I’m always grateful for my parents taking off that extra pressure of trying to survive the day. I was always guaranteed a warm meal and able to turn the heating on or take a long shower without worrying about the bills too much. Having that extra support to complete chores or keep on top of laundry etc. is also a great help! There’s also always someone to talk to and having siblings doing the uni online as well helped us connect and provided the opportunity vent to each other the difficulties and ridiculousness of the situation we are going through, which is a lot nicer then have to suffer alone in silence. There’s also no greater joy then to have someone come home with random fresh baked goods which they have no choice but to share!
Staying in Leicester, where I grew up, is also great as I already had places I liked to go out to especially for green spaces during lockdown! It was also very interesting to explore the city through the perspective of my classmates who were new to the area and seeing parts of the city I never would have found on my own. I learned more about Leicester’s history I did even though I’ve lived here all my life!
The biggest plus of staying with my family, was always going to be the money saved. I worked part time during the course allowing me to save as much as possible while spending the cheapest amount on bills/rent/ personal expenses as the situation allowed me to, making the financial aspects of doing a masters with a placement less anxiety inducing. The lockdown was also a big plus in terms of saving as it reduced the temptation of spending on food and travel that would be expected during in person social events.
I was very privileged to be in this financial position with a reputable course in my field of interest not too far from me. And definitely lucky enough to take advantage of these factors during a global pandemic.
What would I do differently?
If I had to this year over, I would make sure have a separate non-work-related space I can go and escape to. I think this would have been great to help ease the stress and improve my mental health a little. Having a place I need to physically travel to would have also been great to incorporate more exercise and provide a time to myself without having to worry about others. For the remaining part of my course, I’ll be looking into potential clubs I can join or a hobby that requires me to go outdoors so that I can fill that requirement until I move for my placement.
Written by Asifa Patel
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