When students are choosing a path to higher education, there is commonly the debate about what type of college or university to attend. Students often decide between living at home and commuting, or living on campus– a decision that can affect academic success.
For some students, the decision to live on campus is not an easy one. In order to make the transition from living at home, to living at college more manageable some, when given the option, choose to go home on the weekend.
Students that are able to go home on the weekend and live on campus during the week have the advantage of being able to see and spend time with their families. They also get the experiences of living on campus during the week, such as participating in events on-campus and late night socialization.
For students that can commute home on weekends, some believe that going home helps them get more work done. Nikki Kehl, a sophomore computer science major, said “I prefer to go home on weekends. Not only am I able to get work done, but I am able to get a decent meal and a decent nights rest.”
Not all students agree with Kehl. Some students believe that either staying on campus during the weekend to work, or doing their work before going home, is a better method for getting work done.
As a student that commutes home on weekends, Aakruti Patel, a sophomore chemical engineering major, mentioned that she “doesn’t get as much work done at home as [she] do at school. ”
“I have to be in the right mindset, which I find harder to accomplish at home,” she added, “When I am home, I find myself wanting to spend time with my family and friends, rather than working.”
Patel’s claims that there are distractions at home are just the beginning. She also states that “[she needs] to be in a certain environment in order to get [her] work done.” Doing her work on campus allows her to use her resources, such as the Writing Center and being able to study with friends.
The biggest issue with doing work at home over the weekend is having to bring textbooks, pencils, and any other necessary materials to do assignments back home. Not to mention, if there were any forgotten materials, it would be a hassle to return to campus, get the materials to complete the assignment and drive back home. At that point, staying on campus would be better.
In reality, going home and staying on campus both have their advantages and disadvantages. For the majority of students, however, remaining on campus is an ideal method for combating procrastination and excelling academically.
