Many students, who while at college are “adults in training”, returned home for the remainder of the school year, finishing their studies online. Yet, the unintended consquence is reverting to childhood roles, letting moms “mother” them, as they willingly reliquish the independence they sought by moving away for college in the first place.
One first year college student summarized her experience being home again to finish her school year as:
I’m happy to be home so I can eat homemade food, but also miss the freedom in college as well. Having to do a lot of things myself like making sure I stay on schedule for hw [homework] and physical well being, doing laundry, making sure [I] have enough time to walk to class in time, etc has made me more independent and keeps me moving and motivated to do work, but I’ve been kinda lazy at home recently 😂😬
Many college students face similar dilemmas and tensions, as they’re frustrated about being less independent, but willing to “let mom do it.” So, while they may continue their academic development this spring, as many students chose to move away for college so they can “become more independent”, they may be regressing in their maturation.
While college students now back at home and their parents are working to make the best of a complicated situation, what are the long term effects of potentially stymying Gen Z’ers natural evolution into self-sufficiency just as they’re emerging into adulthood
