Residence is portrayed as the pinnacle of the university experience, but UTSC students living at home beg to differ.

Residence is commonly portrayed as a mess of parties, hookups and unadulterated fun. In comparison, students living at home are thought to be missing out on the real university experience.

Some UTSC students, however, don’t agree.

“University isn’t all about the typical parties, drinking and craziness. We don’t pay for parties, we pay for classes,” contends Melissa Harrypaul, a second-year political science major.

“Everyone has a different university experience, and you can’t say one is better than the other”

Commuter students don’t feel that they miss out on any vital experiences.

“It’s the university’s job to include everyone on campus,” says Leigh Berona, a second-year political science and English student. “They don’t want to alienate anyone, especially since the majority of the campus commutes. Campus life events are accessible at reasonable times so people aren’t missing out on them.”

In fact, many students choose to come to UTSC because it is within reasonable commuting distance. Most schools in Toronto are largely commuter campuses.

For many students, living at home during their undergraduate years just makes sense. “Moving to university is a huge change,” says Hiba Aboulrezzak, a second-year gender studies and international development commuter student. “I would rather live at home, where I have the support of my family, as I figure out what to do after these four years.”

Expense is also a major factor in a student’s decisions to commute. With residence costs rising upwards of $4,824 – $6,968 per year, many students feel it is simply too expensive to move out.

“There are definitely some advantages to living on residence,” admits Harrypaul. “Quick access to the library and the chance to sleep in on mornings are appealing. But I still wouldn’t pay an extra $5,000 just to have that convenience.”

Students may wish they had a university life closer to the stereotypical university experience. But living at home provides an opportunity to gain a certain skill set that living on residence in a “university town” would not provide.

“I have learned to multitask while trying to balance my school, home, work and social life,” says Harrypaul. “That has definitely given me a sense of independence, which I guess is surprising to hear because I still live at home.”

“When I’m more stable with who I am, I can definitely see myself moving out and exploring the world,” says Aboulrezzak. “But as of now, there are a lot of things I can discover from the comfort of my own home.”