The time of a student in the university is one of the most important for any person. It is the true step from adolescent to adult. A time when new responsibilities and commitments are acquired and that prepares you to face working life but also to function more easily in that world of adults.

Until the end of the institute, there have been few moments in which a student has had the option to choose. With the entrance to the university, there will be many more questions that will be asked, you will have to decide what career to study and where to study it.

On many occasions, the desired training is not taught close to home, and you even have to move to other autonomous communities. Thus, the first dilemma that arises is, is it worth traveling to another city away from family and friends to study what I like? Together with the Shoppok, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of assuming the challenge that this transfer entails.

Advantages of studying far from home and family

The vast majority of people who move to another city to study at university do so because there is not even a university near their residence or because they do not have the studies that they want to pursue.

In the first case, there is no other option but to move, except to discard the idea of ​​pursuing university studies. In the second, practically neither. Traveling to another city will allow you to study what really interests you and face the future with greater enthusiasm. Staying at home and starting a career out of something you don't like will lead to nothing but frustration and you will probably end up declining in a year or two.

Moving to another city also means breaking the bond that you had until then with family and friends. It means starting a new life, with new people yet to meet and entering adulthood with greater independence. It can be seen as a preparation for tomorrow.

You will have to find a new apartment to live in and take care of everything that this entails: from paying the bills to making the purchase. If you do not feel prepared for it, you can also opt for a student residence, where those concerns correspond to others.

Going to another city to study supposes growth for anyone who until then has not left the closest environment, that of his family. Having your own apartment where you don't have the supervision of your parents is fun, but also exciting.

Economic and emotional disadvantages

There is no doubt that the main disadvantage of being a university student in another city is how expensive it is. The common expenses of any other university (tuition, school supplies, ...) must be added to the rent of an apartment or the stay in a residence hall.

Not every family can face this type of expense, so it is important to consult the scholarships and grants to which you can have access. They will alleviate, at least in part, the financial burden.

Another option is to combine your facet as a university student with that of a part-time worker. This money will allow you to stay in the new city of residence or will be a supplement to the maintenance that your family has to pay you. Add to that the satisfaction of earning your own money and deciding how to manage it.

Beyond economics, other drawbacks of traveling to another city to study are emotional. There are people who handle transfers well and adapt quickly to new circumstances. Another does not do it in the same way and misses her family and friends.

This can be a real problem because uprooting and melancholy can not only limit your social life in college but can also cause you to underperform in college. All this will lower your spirits and affect you negatively, being a concern for you and for those who love you and are far away.

In most cases you are still very young, you are barely over 18 years old and you may never have been away from your parents for more than a weekend. Going from that to living several miles away can take its toll on the student. Also in their parents who with the departure of the child from home can end up suffering from the empty nest syndrome.

Before changing cities you have to take this into account and you can even do a drill. If you do not feel capable of separating yourself from your loved ones, visit in advance the place to which you plan to move. Get to know it, walk through its streets, enter its shops and cafes and find out if you would like to live there. It can help you decide what to do.

Afraid of feeling alone and homesick?

Until it's time to go to college, almost everyone has a circle of friends and family who make them feel supported. The fear of breaking it is one of the reasons that can make us hesitate when deciding to travel to another city. That and feeling alone in a city where you don't know anyone.

Keep in mind that this may be the first of the transfers and that we do not know what life will bring us. There may be many others for work or sentimental reasons. That does not mean that we are going to lose contact with those we love. The family will continue to be there and the friends, if they are true, too. Video conferences, emails, and instant messages are great allies when it comes to keeping relationships alive despite the distance.

Also, if you have made friends at school, in high school, and in your closest environment, why wouldn't you make them at university? University is a chance for everyone and there are many more people in the same situation as you. Also in the faculty, you will easily find people with the same interests.

If you are afraid of feeling lonely in your first days at university, rent a room in a shared apartment or stay in a student residence. It will force you to engage in conversation with other people and they will prevent you from feeling lonely.

The final decision

Once the advantages and disadvantages of moving to another city to study at the university have been seen, the decision must be made by the student himself and his family. If you have the opportunity to do it, you will discover that it is a unique and enriching experience. If it doesn't work you can always go home.