Exploring life away from home: A phenomenological study

Abstract

Experiencing such a transitional phase from adolescence to young adulthood can be quite a challenge especially now that society has just slowly recovered from the pandemic. The main goal of this qualitative phenomenological study is to have an in- depth understanding of the lived experiences of students living away from home. In this study, purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed to select five (5) tertiary students from a private university as participants. They were subjected to inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure their suitability for participation in the research. The researchers followed procedures such as providing an audit trail and the triangulation method to ensure validity and reliability. A semi-structured interview which consisted of one (1) macro and two (2) micro questions was used for this study. The raw data was transcribed and then input into the Qualitative Data Analysis Miner to initiate the Thematic Analysis process by generating initial codes. Braun and Clark's Thematic Analysis method served as the guiding framework. From the five narratives, a total of three (3) major themes emerged along with sub-themes respectively: 1) Difficulties and Struggles, 2) A Journey to Self Discovery, and 3) Sustaining Factors. The results of the study show that students who live independently have faced certain difficulties due to the increase in responsibilities with chores and their academic-related duties. Nonetheless, the experience was also a learning ground for the students as they journeyed to discover themselves, adjust to the new environment, establish relationships, and learn to cope and conquer hardships.