Home may or may not be best option for 18 year olds

Mental health is just as important as physical health, which can be terribly disturbed when in the wrong environments. Good health is critical for school, especially with the abundance of new COVID cases rising these past few months. How can the student body maintain healthy lifestyles during a pandemic and continue to undergo the stress of finals week? The answer is quite simple: family.

Although it seems clear as day, families should be there to pick up the pieces during hard times, though not everyone gets to share those splendid moments with their parents or siblings. Some people go through extremely rough patches in their lives and get the opportunity to live on their own earlier than their peers. As sensational as this sounds, it doesn’t have to be so frightening. Most students turn 18 before they graduate from high school and are allowed to rent their own spaces. 

But why would students want to leave their homes if it meant they had to pay more money? Junior Bella Mabon said, “I personally think students should stay in their birth homes until they’re 18 so they can prepare themselves for the real world. Obviously, some kids want to move out sooner, but it’s not always the smartest decision.”

Freshman at Hawkeye Community College Annaka Shaver said she moved out three months after graduation. “I honestly would have done it earlier, like around May when I graduated so I could spend my summer how I wanted before college, but I didn’t have the money,” she said. 

Families aren’t always perfect, so this solution may not apply, but if you feel unsafe or overwhelmed in your household, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. After all, school should be a place where you feel most comfortable, especially if your home doesn’t fill those gaps.