Rising costs of living, housing prices, and student loan debt have many young people moving back into their parents’ homes, and many of them are experiencing reverse culture shock when they do so.
Moving back home is becoming increasingly popular, but adjusting to the changed situation may be difficult. This guide will explain the benefits of moving home and how you can stay true to yourself and your goals if you choose that route.
What Is Reverse Culture Shock?
Reverse culture shock is similar to culture shock – entering a culture different from yours and feeling out of place or even upset by the differences. The only difference is that reverse culture shock occurs when you’ve been away from your country or home, and coming home triggers the experience of culture shock.
Reverse culture shock isn’t reserved for times after you’ve been in another country. It can also occur in situations such as:
- When you’ve been away at college in a large city and return to the small town where you grew up
- When you have lived in another city from where you grew up and have forgotten the specific ways of life in that place
- When you’ve been in college exclusively taking classes and return to the “real world”
- When you’ve lived out of your family’s home for an extended period and move back
Should I Move Back to My Hometown?
According to Bloomberg, in 2023, 45% of U.S. adults between 18 and 29 lived with their parents, and almost 60% of Gen-Zers and Millennials reported moving back in with their parents in the past two years. The primary reasons that they shared were for financial purposes: rising housing costs and cost of living, high student loan debt, and inflation.
Benefits of moving back in with parents
Even just a few years ago, moving back in with your parents had a strong social stigma in the United States. However, multigenerational housing is standard worldwide, and as the numbers above show, it is becoming more popular in the U.S., too. A few reasons it can be beneficial include:
- Reduced or eliminated housing costs, often shielded from frequent rent increases
- Shared costs on things like food and entertainment
- Emotional support and comfort
- A sense of stability
- A sense of community and belonging
- A chance to save money, potentially for purchasing a house or while in-between jobs
If you can’t move back into your family’s home, even moving back to your hometown can offer some of the same benefits and familiarity. This is especially true if you’re from a smaller town or more rural area that may not be experiencing the same cost of living increases as a large metropolitan area.
How to Stay True to Yourself When Moving Back Home
Moving back to your family’s home or your hometown may come with an internalized stigma. You may have complicated feelings around this, including disappointment, fear of failure, and grief for a life you may have imagined. Remember the statistics and benefits listed above – you’re not alone in this!
Here are a few ideas to help you stay true to yourself and your ambitions when you move back to your childhood home or hometown.
1. Decorate your space.
Some parents like to keep their children’s bedrooms as a time capsule of their childhood. If that’s been the case for you and your family, consider sitting down with them to discuss how you can update it and turn it into a grown-up retreat. If they’re resistant to an update, consider finding ways to compromise, like putting some items in storage or simply applying a fresh coat of paint.
If your family is open to bringing your childhood room into the current century, updating the furniture is a great place to start. An adult-sized bed (that isn’t shaped like a racecar), a comfortable accent chair, and a WFH desk and chair can bring your room up to speed.
Alternatively, they may be more comfortable with you taking over a finished basement or guest space instead of your old room. Take advantage of the extra space and invest in furniture that you can take with you if you move back out, like a nice living room set!
2. Meet new people.
Moving back to your hometown doesn’t mean you have to rejoin a crowd you’ve outgrown. In the years you’ve been gone, many people have likely moved away or made new friends.
New people have probably moved there, too. You may feel obligated to see some people from your past, and that’s okay – you don’t want to be ducking behind fixtures at the grocery store when you make eye contact with them. But it’s also okay if you no longer have things in common with them.
How to meet new people in your hometown
Consider joining groups or meetups for your current hobbies and interests. Have you picked up a sport in college? Find a league. Have you discovered a love for yoga? Start taking classes. You may be surprised how many other people live there besides the dozen or so you hung out with when you were 16.
3. Keep your goals in mind.
If you’re moving back home to save money for a down payment, reset after a layoff or significant life change, or just to figure out your next step, you likely have a bigger goal in mind.
Find a way to make progress towards that goal frequently and keep it in sight. That could be:
- A spreadsheet tracking your savings
- A dream board
- A weekly check-in with yourself where you journal about your progress
These can be especially useful if you’re feeling defeated about moving home. Visually reminding yourself of what you’re working towards, the temporary status of your move, and your progress towards your next step can make it feel less daunting and give you purpose.
4. Embrace reverse culture shock.
Reverse culture shock can be real when you move back to your hometown. That’s fine; embrace it! Even if you spent the first 18 years of your life there, most likely, there are things that you haven’t experienced.
Try being a tourist in your new/old home. Visit tourist attractions and try pretending you’ve never been there before. Go to that store you’ve always driven past but never gone in. Try out restaurants that have opened since you left. Visit that town a few miles away that you never really went to. Eat food that you haven’t tried since you were a kid. Novel experiences can help make a familiar place feel new and exciting.
5. Enjoy the family time.
Moving back home gives you a fresh opportunity to enjoy time with your family as an adult. Embrace the time that you may get with parents, grandparents, and close family friends that you may not have spent much time with in recent years. Take advantage of opportunities to sit down at the dining room table together. Drink a cup of coffee with your older family members. Make new memories that would be less frequent if you lived in another city, state, or country.
Update Your Old Room or New Space With CORT Outlet
Moving back to your family’s home or hometown can bring up complicated feelings, but sometimes, it is the best choice for your situation.
When you’re ready to furnish your space – whether it’s your old childhood bedroom or a new apartment – turn to CORT Furniture Outlet. At CORT Furniture Outlet, new and gently used inventory provides designer quality and style at a fraction of the price: up to 70% off retail prices. You can invest in high-quality furniture confidently, knowing that our team of experts has inspected and cleaned every item. Visit your local CORT Outlet or shop online today.
