OPINION: Why It’s Absolutely Okay To Still Live At Home In Your 20s

There's no doubt about it, there's still a certain stigma attached to living at home once you've hit your 20s.

The general feeling seems to be that once you've secured your first 'proper job', it's time to cut the apron strings and go out on your own in the big bad world.

The upshot being that anyone who stays within the cosy confines of the family home is somehow 'adulting' wrong.

Well, I completely and totally disagree.

In an age when rent in Dublin is eye-wateringly high, I want to tell you that it is a-okay to still live at home - as long as your parental units are happy enough with the arrangement.

(My Mam is much happier about me still taking up space in our family home than my Dad is. Soz Pops, but have you seen how hard it is to find a place in the city centre?) 

I'm 23 and currently living at home. And don't think for a second for I haven't tasted the sweet, sweet freedom of having my own place.

I've already moved out, when I emigrated. However, this green isle tempted me back and I found a (frankly deadly) job in the city centre. And so, I moved back home.

I currently live in a commuter town, about 40 minutes outside on Dublin. I'm not going to tell you where (I need some privacy guys) but I will tell you this... it is the last stop on not one, but TWO, Dublin Bus lines. Yep.

My older brother moved out recently so I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to find a place and move out. 

However, every time I get motivated and start searching for somewhere to live, that soul-destroying hopelessness returns. 

Why and HOW is everything so expensive? 

€750+ for a double room? Okay Louise, don't be so picky. Just because you've a double bed at home doesn't mean you can live like a princess forever. 

How about a single room? €500+ for a single room... THAT IS SHARED WITH SOMEONE I'VE NEVER EVEN MET?

No, thank you. 

Every time I'm enduring my long commute from the city centre to home, I curse those lucky people who are enjoying their evening as my train goes past their lit windows. 

Some I can see watching TV, cooking dinner, hanging up the washing, you name it. Those lucky, lucky people. 

It's easy to feel sorry for myself, but lately I had a thought. What if they're not the lucky ones? What if I am?

I get to go home to a warm house where I have TWO DOGS. Yes. Two. Oh and my lovely parents are there, dinner is usually ready and the fire lit, yadda yadda yadda. 

I chip in with my parents and cover the cost of what they spend keeping me in food and water but other than that, I don't actually pay rent. 

(Not that my Dad hasn't tried... keep trying Jude.) 

I go out in Dublin all the time, I meet friends after work and then avail of public transport to get me home. 

This doesn't mean I'm not jealous of my friends who walk back to their apartments and are home in 10 minutes. 

I'm jealous of them, but my bank balance definitely isn't. 

Don't get me wrong, I look forward to pay day as much as the next person (hurry up Friday, plz I need to feed myself) but I don't have that stress of knowing I need to pay rent and bills every month. 

So, I get to treat myself. 

'That skirt in the shop window? Go on. You deserve it. You worked hard this week and best of all, you don't have to pay rent this month.'

While I hope that moving into the city centre is on the horizon for me, I'm not going to push myself and put too much stress on myself to find a place. 

Renting in Dublin seems to be like winning the Lotto. I know some people that just stumbled across their apartment by pure luck and others that searched for months and months to find something suitable. 

I'm a grown adult so apologies if I don't want to share bunk-beds with language exchange students. We've all seen the ads, 'You will really improve your English if you live here'. 

I wish you and your pursuit of mastering the English language all the best of luck, my friend. However after a long day in work, I don't fancy being a stand-in English teacher for my roommates. I just don't.

So, I'm going to stay at home for as long as I can stick it and I'm not going to feel any shame in doing so. Renting is absolutely mad in the city, so it's best to just avoid where possible.

I know I'm lucky to be able to live at home and commute into the city so to those who don't have that option, I think of you as brave soldiers and I salute you.

Long story short, just do you. 

Don't feel pressured to do anything, like move out, just because society says that you should be living independently by the time you're in your 20s.

It's bullshit.

Do you. 

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