AITA for not telling my parents that I am going to a college states and states away from them?
A young man stands on the brink of newfound freedom, preparing to leave home for college, yet shackled by the suffocating grip of his parents’ relentless control.
Every move is monitored, every relationship scrutinized, and every step governed by strict rules designed to stifle his independence and crush his youthful desires.
Amidst this oppressive environment, he finds solace and rebellion in a secret love that has blossomed over years of friendship.
Their quiet defiance, symbolized by hidden condoms and covert dates, becomes a powerful act of resistance against the suffocating walls built around him—walls that threaten to break both their spirits before they even begin to truly live.
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The original poster (OP) feels trapped by his strict parents, whose excessive rules conflict directly with his growing need for independence as he approaches adulthood.
Despite his efforts to demonstrate responsibility, such as earning and paying for his own phone, his parents maintained control, leading him to secretly plan for college far away to secure autonomy.
Given the OP's commitment to moving out of state for college and his parents' strong opposition based on fear and control, is the parents' insistence on dictating his post-high school living arrangements justified by their responsibility as caregivers, or does the OP have an absolute right to self-determination upon turning eighteen?
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