When you leave for college, your entire life changes. For the first time, you are living away from your parents whether you live on campus or off-campus and must look after yourself in ways you might not expect. There will be early classes to wake up for, exams to study for, laundry and a room or house to clean, and maybe even meals to prepare on your own.
One of the things that will change the most and hugely affect your life will be your living situation. You can choose to live on campus in student housing, which might mean a block of shared or single rooms and a communal bathroom with a dining hall, student houses with single or shared rooms and a communal kitchen and living room, or living off campus on your own or with friends. The decision you make between on or off-campus living will affect your life every day, and it is probably a choice you will have to live with for at least a year, so you should make it carefully. Here are the pros and cons of each option to help you make an informed choice.
Off-campus living
Choosing to live off-campus means that you will need to search for your own home in your own neighborhood with your own choice of roommates, if any. Approaching an apartment rental agency will be much easier than going alone and will take a lot of stress off of you during the search. They can help you find a house that fits your budget, location, and size requirements and one that the university’s residence policies won’t bind.
Living off-campus means you will likely have far more privacy than in school housing. If you choose to have roommates, you can choose who they are and who gets which rooms amongst yourselves. You will also be able to determine who comes and goes in your residence, which may not be an option in school housing. You can come and go at any hour, make whatever kind of food you like, and decorate your home. You can have friends over for movie nights and BBQs, but it is not all good news.
Living off campus comes with some challenges. Finding a home close to campus might be difficult because many homes around the school are often purchased or rented by the university. This may mean an added commute and time wasted that could be spent studying or on extracurriculars. Living in a home all your own can be freeing, but it might also be too much of a sudden change for people who are used to living in a busy home with a large family. The pressure of keeping a whole house, cooking for yourself, getting to and from classes alone, and studying might be too much, and there’s no shame. Cost is a factor, too: depending on the city you are going to college in and which neighborhood you would like to live in, it may cost more than living and eating at school. While you may be able to get financial aid for classes and on-campus living, the same is not available should you choose to live away from school, even if your rental agency can find you a home close to your housing budget.
On-campus living
Living on campus puts you right in the heart of student culture at your school. If you choose to live in a block of dorms or houses purchased by the college, you will be among your peers and never be short of a shoulder to cry on or someone to share your thoughts with. Living on campus is your choice if you want the classic college experience. You will be close enough to all your class locations to be on time and save time and money on transport. You can join any student association you like, including sororities and fraternities that live the Greek life. Many studies show that students living on campus, especially in their first year, are far more likely to complete their college education. There is also the benefit for parents and students of having adults and RA’s (resident advisors) nearby and living in campus housing. The sense of security and community is definitely far superior to off-campus living.
On the downside, living on campus means you will have little alone time. You will take meals communally and share a bathroom with strangers (at first) though you will likely get to know the people in your residence better in no time and even make new friends this way. There will probably be some noise around you at all times, so if you do not thrive in a bustling environment, this may not be your best choice.
Wrap Up
Deciding on your living environment for school will impact your life in a number of ways. Talk to your parents and any friends or siblings who are already at college, and consider your options. Choose what feels right for you, and you will have the best college experience possible.