For some people, moving into university halls is the start of their biggest adventure. For others, it seems like a leap into an expensive world of dirty dishes and noisy housemates. A rising number of students are choosing to commute from their parents’ house to university. So, if you’re thinking about commuting from home next year, here are five advantages:

1.  Saving money

The cost of university is unquestionably the biggest motivator for current commuting students. With the average cost of university halls coming in at anything from £53 (Bradford) to £216 (Edinburgh) per week, you may consider purchasing a bus pass and travelling from home. If your parents are happy for you to live there rent-free, then it’s a huge chunk out of your student debt and can really help with your student budget. Just make sure you thank them by helping around the house every so often.

2. Convenience

Particularly in some smaller cities – like York or St Andrews, for example – you might actually find that your parents’ house is very close to campus. Sure, you might not live in halls in your first year, but in second and third year, when everyone moves out into the local area, you’re suddenly closer to campus than most of your friends are, and you don’t have to worry about the hectic house hunting process.

3. Cooking

Yes, university can be a time to learn how to cook and clean for yourself. But for the busy student with a number of commitments, it can be hard to find time to cook healthy meals on a daily basis on a student budget. On the other hand, if you commute from home, you can have your mum’s cooking, and resist the temptation to order takeaways and make instant noodles.

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4. Support

Between exams and essay deadlines, sometimes university can be a pretty stressful experience. If you’ve already got a support network at home – parents, siblings, friends, neighbours –  then you’ve got people around who can help you balance your new workload. They might even get you out of the house every so often, when you’re bogged down by revision notes and assignments.

5. Knowing the local area

If you’re studying in your hometown, then you’re set up: you know the way around, and more importantly, you know all the best shops, restaurants and places to go out. While you’re showing people around, you can help out your new friends with insider knowledge, and maybe make some new memories at the same time.

Whether you decide to commute from home or go for the on-campus experience, Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers great opportunities for students and graduates, from internships to graduate management training programmes all across the country.