By Kristen Misak
COLUMNIST

Millenials returning home to live with their parents after graduating from college has become a nationwide trend, and with the trend comes an onslaught of criticism.

People say that millennials are moochers and that this generation is babied and spoiled and incompetent. Such a stigma should not be associated with this trend; times are changing, and we are being forced to change with them.

With the cost of a college education at an all-time high, the debt that plagues graduates when they try to start lives of their own can be a huge burden.

Many people believe that graduates should take their diploma and soar: acquire their dream job immediately after graduation, move into a place of their own and settle down. However, it’s difficult to soar with thousands of dollars in student debt weighing you down.

As long as are willing to welcome you back, there is no shame in returning home after college. It doesn’t mean failure for you or your parents.

Parents who allow their graduated children to live under their roof, who are criticized for coddling their kids, are only looking out for their children’s best financial interests The job market is increasingly competitive, and a diploma doesn’t necessarily mean work.

Moving back in with parents does not equate to pausing your life. Rather, it gives you an opportunity to build your life and create the best conditions possible for when you are ready to start out in the real world.

But be careful not to postpone the real world for too long and overstay your welcome at home. Establish a time frame right away so that neither party feels any hostility or confusion with the terms of the stay. Work out the details before moving back.

The key is to remember that you aren’t the same person you were before college; you’re older, more mature, more responsible, so your living arrangements should reflect that. Your parents shouldn’t still be doing your laundry and cooking all of your meals when you return home. Whether it is taking on a few of your own bills, or paying rent, you should realize that you’re not a kid anymore, and your parents shouldn’t have to raise you all over again.

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