Craving independence and having a parent determined to prevent it is one of the most universal tensions in growing up.

So when one student started looking at colleges within two hours of home and expressed interest in dorm life, her mother shut it down completely — despite having already made clear she wouldn’t be paying for any of the tuition expenses.

The logic didn’t add up, and the frustration was mounting fast.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITAH for wanting to leave home for college?

Is it understandable for me to be upset because my mom is demanding that I stay home for college because she doesn’t want me to get a dorm?

On one hand, she sort of sees where her mom is coming from.

I understand the costs and extra expenses that come with a dorm, but mind you — she’s verbalized that she is not paying for any of the college tuition expenses.

So why would it matter if I get a dorm then?

She also finds her mom to be a bit unreasonable.

She’s acting like I am asking to go all the way across the country, when I am looking at a college that is two hours away at most. She won’t even let me go there.

She wants me to stay in the city.

She sees this as an extension of an already troubling pattern.

I’m seeing it as her just wanting to control me.

She’s already strict, so hypothetically if I stay home she will be even more strict, despite her saying that everything I want to do now I can do when I’m grown.

Her mom doesn’t seem to want to budge on this issue.

Every time I mention a college outside my city she says, word for word: “You’re staying right here,” “Do you know how much dorms cost?” or “You’re not staying in a dorm unless you get a scholarship for it.”

And she’s starting to feel like it’s raining on her parade.

It’s honestly draining because I want to get out and be independent, and it’s hard when she’s literally demanding I stay in the city — though I know I won’t either way.

Her mindset is still aggravating me.

AITA?

Sooner or later, her mother is going to have to let her leave the nest.

What did Reddit think?

She’s free to make her choices, but those choices may have consequences.

Living in a dorm is practically a rite of passage.

This commenter agrees: This is all about control.

Her mother will need to loosen her grip eventually.

The college experience was supposed to be about finding her path, but somehow her mom had managed to make it all about herself.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.