ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 29/01/2024
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 30/01/2024
Question: In some countries, university students live at home, while in other countries university students go to other cities rather than live with their family. Do you think the benefits of living away from home outweigh the disadvantages?
(IELTS Academic – 27/01/2024)
ANSWER (8.0+):
For higher education, some students choose to move out to a new city, while others continue living with their parents. While relocation can be associated with certain financial and emotional challenges, I believe the enhanced responsibility and life experience that it offers are more significant.
On the one hand, students who live away from home might have to address several concerns. Chief of these is the increase in their spending as there might be a monthly rent attached to their accommodation and they cannot save on utility and food bills by bulk buying them with their parents. In some instances, this places a financial burden on the students and their family. Another major issue lies in the lack of emotional support. Specifically, those having to relocate might not have the company of old friends or family members who can offer them encouragement and advice in the face of hard times. This explains why some of them suffer from a more profound sense of nostalgia and loneliness.
Nevertheless, the aforementioned drawbacks are outweighed by two compelling advantages. The foremost benefit relates to an independent lifestyle. If university students reside separately with their family, they are generally fully responsible for both their academic and personal lives, gradually becoming more self-reliant when making their own decisions in terms of daily schedules, majors and relationships. Furthermore, students who move out of their hometown are entitled to greater opportunities to enrich their experiences. Noticeably, they can not only explore new locations but also interact with people whose beliefs and values are distinctive to those in their home regions, allowing for an enriched understanding of the world.
In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages if college students relocate to new cities. Personally, I believe the benefits of increased independence and an enhanced perspective on life outweigh the possible drawbacks in terms of finances and emotional stability. That is why families should have an adequate financial plan and provide initial emotional support to their children at the beginning of their university life.
(Word count: 336)
WORD LIST
ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
Financial and emotional challenges | Những thách thức về tài chính và cảm xúc |
Enhanced responsibility | Nâng cao trách nhiệm |
Save on utility and food bills | Tiết kiệm hóa đơn tiện ích và thực phẩm |
Bulk buying | Mua số lượng lớn |
Place a financial burden on | Đặt gánh nặng tài chính lên |
Emotional support | Hỗ trợ tinh thần |
Have the company of | Có sự hỗ trợ của |
Nostalgia | Nỗi nhớ nhà |
Reside separately | Sống riêng biệt |
Be entitled to | Được trao |
Enriched understanding of the world | Sự hiểu biết phong phú về thế giới |