Guilt is a powerful thing, especially when it comes from family.

A college student commutes 1.5 hours each way to school every day, a round trip that’s given her chronic lower back pain, left her exhausted, and made it impossible to participate in any activities she actually cares about.

So, tired of getting home at 9 PM every day, she considers moving into a hostel for one year to take care of her health, her grades, and her quality of life.

But since her dad is getting older and lives alone, she starts struggling with guilt. So when her sister piles on and makes her feel like an awful person, she’s left at even more of a standstill.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for leaving my dad and moving to hostel for just 1 year?

I’m living with my dad. He’s 55. I’ve got a love-hate relationship with him like he never seems to understand me.

Looking back, the two have never really gotten along.

Like him and I have no bond together like I had with my mom. He sometimes refuses to spend on me but then he cooks for me everyday. (Can say I’ve got family issues.)

A long commute to school has made matters even worse.

So the thing is, I travel for 1.5 hours everyday to college. By which I’ve got lower back pain issues and tanned and exhausted.

I couldn’t even participate in activities I like in college because that would mean I reach home at 8-9 PM ish.

Now the student is thinking of finding another place to live.

So I’m planning to move to hostel. I can save up the time and exhaustion to provide myself quality time and take care of myself, my health, my academics, and stuff.

But she can’t get over the guilt — and the rest of her family piles on.

But then I feel bad for leaving him alone even though I’m only gone for ONE year.

And to add salt in wound, my sister, who got married last year, is now guilt tripping me saying things like, “I’ll never do such things like leaving him alone.” “Can’t you really travel?”

So AITA here?

Sounds like this student has a big choice to make.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a stepmom who says stepson isn’t doing enough, despite the fact that he’s working 12-hour shifts to pay for his own college.

What did Reddit have to say?

55 isn’t that old.

If her sister is so worried, why can’t she just step up?

This user also pushes back against the unfair assumptions about his age.

This student needs to look after her own best interests.

What a hypocrite her sister is being. She’s already gotten married and left the house. When it’s her life, she has no problem looking after herself, but when it’s someone else’s, she’s quick to point the finger.

Something has to give with this student’s schedule. She has back pain, she’s exhausted, and she’s becoming isolated from the community she’s trying to build.

And, as many redditors pointed out, 55 isn’t ancient. Her father can more than take care of himself.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a man whose celebratory post-grad school vacation is being ruined by his family’s insistence he’s being lazy.