I might as well have a curfew

Dear people who are still in college,

I have learned many important lessons through life experiences, college, travel, working, etc.  Right now, I am about to share a very, very, very important one.  Pay attention.

Do not, under any circumstances, move back in with your parents after college. 

Economic times are very tough, as you may have noticed.  It is nearly impossible to get a decent job.  Heck, it's hard to even get a crappy job.  I have a crappy part time job.  Bachelor's degrees aren't worth as much as they used to be... but that's a whole other rant.  Anyway, I had the brilliant plan of moving home so I didn't have to pay rent anymore while I worked and saved up money so I could go travel in Europe.  Sounds pretty good, right?  

What I didn't count on was how freaking miserable I would be living here.  I love my mother, and we're very close, but living at home is making me miserable.  I don't know how I did it for most of my life.  

I guess the problem is that I tasted freedom.  I had my entire college career of living on my own, doing what I wanted, not having to answer to anyone, sleeping late, coming home at 4 a.m., not having to tell anyone where I was going and when I would be back, drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade with my breakfast of ramen noodles, wearing pajamas all day without judgement, leaving a mess if I felt like it because I pay the rent and I do what I want, watching R-rated movies in the living room without feeling shame, ordering sandwiches at 1 a.m., having a supply of beer in my fridge, not being lectured and nagged all the time...  Those were the days.  

Now I'm back to this crappy little town that lacks any culture.  There are no coffee shops, no restaurants, no theatres, no nothing.  Actually, I'm giving you a pretty good impression of my town.  It couldn't be that bad, right?  There is not a single stop light.  Not one gas station.  Nothing.  There's nowhere to go.  If I want to escape, the nearest decently-sized town is 20 miles away.  Not terribly practical.  

What I'm trying to say is that, while you are in college, start a savings account and STICK TO IT.  Instead of buying concert tickets, beer or even food, save your money.  You may say, "Why?  I need to do fun things!  I also need to eat!"  No you don't.  You need those things less than you will need money after college so you don't have to move back home.  I don't care if you have $1.13 in your bank account and you reaaaaally need to do laundry so you're considering dipping into your savings account.  Wash your clothes in the sink.  Do it.  Laundry may be free at home, but it comes with a non-monetary price.  Is your freedom worth saving money?  No.  No, it isn't.  

Take out a little extra for your student loans.  Work a little extra so you can have a cushion of money.  Don't spend it on stuff you don't really need.  Save it.  Or one day you'll find yourself hunched over your computer in your tiny room, grumbling while you listen to your mom yell at the stupid dog (who is the bane of your existence), wondering what happened to your life.  

Sincerely, 

Chelsey