Right now, I am a student in China, but my motherland is Kazakhstan, so I am a foreign student. As a foreign student, sometimes I think about whether studying and living with my family is the right choice. After thinking about it many times, I decided that it might be a wrong choice.
What is the difference between studying far from family and studying with family? There is a big difference between them, and I feel it myself. When I was in my graduation year at school last year, I felt like a student who lives with his parents. Because the only thing I cared about was studying, I know this because most of my friends who graduated the same year as me are now living and studying with their families. But now I have more responsibility than I had last year. I have a lot of things to do every day, like cooking three times per day, washing clothes, cleaning my room, washing dishes, and taking care of myself more carefully. Along with that, I have to study, improve my soft skills and spirituality. Sometimes, I think that 24 hours is not enough. A big difference is maturity. When I left my motherland, I realized that, with my family, I had to leave my childhood behind, and whatever I do will affect my future. That is why I am proud of myself; I made the right decision.
But is living with family so bad? No, it is not. Every situation has its advantages and disadvantages. Living with family, you have free time, and during this time you can do whatever you want. Financially, it is easy because you do not have to spend money to rent an apartment, and you also get family support and comfort, so living with family gives you a stable life. But what about the disadvantages of living with family? Every time you are going to do something on your own, they are trying to control you; you just depend on your parents’ opinions, so you lose your self-sufficiency. What about students studying far from home? As I mentioned earlier, that type of student will mature. You have freedom, and you can use it for the right path or the wrong path—that will be your decision. Also, studying in a different city or country improves your communication and money management skills. Disadvantages include difficulty adapting, sometimes having money trouble, and a major disadvantage is loneliness and stress from many factors of life, and unfortunately, nobody can support you because they have their own stress.
So, I want to conclude how both will affect the future. Staying with family gives you a stable life, meaning you have enough time and support for learning new skills that will be useful in the future. Leaving your family gives you important emotional skills that can help you go towards your dreams and goals, so both are good; the difference is who you want to become.