Going to College: Living on Campus vs Off
August 18, 2010 by Attending Colleges
Filed under college board
Going to college is a big step in a student’s life. You have to choose the college, apply to the college and work on getting accepted by the college of choice by keeping your grades up. After all that, you still have one more big decision to make, which is living on campus vs off? This is a big decision that is influenced by many different things. For this reason, you need to do your homework so you can make a good informed decision as to which option would be best for you.
Before you can make this decision it would be a good idea to learn a little about the advantages and disadvantages associated with both options. This way, you can compare both options together and choose the one that suits your personality and financial situation the best.
On Campus Living
Living on campus has many advantages such as having access to the library, computer lab and other classes that can be beneficial. Since you’re on campus, you’re conveniently located next to all of your classes making it easy to get there on time. You won’t have the expense of keeping up a vehicle, putting gas in the car, looking for a parking space and so forth.
It will be easier to get involved with campus activities and it’s easier to make friends because there are so many other students around. You don’t have to worry about paying utility bills because everything is included in the fee of the room. All you’ll be responsible for will be your personal things.
The disadvantages to living on campus include the fact that you have very little space and little privacy. You’ll be sharing a room with another student and there seems to always be something going on. There will also be a list of rules that you must obey in order to stay on campus. If you break these rules you won’t be allowed to stay. You must also push yourself to make sure you don’t get wrapped up hanging out with your friends and neglecting your studies.
Off Campus Living
Some of the advantages of living off campus include having more privacy and independence. You don’t have to share your room with another student and there will be plenty of quiet time for studying. You can stay at home with your parents to save money or you can rent your own apartment. The choice is yours and will mainly depend on where you go to college.
The disadvantages of living off campus include the fact that is can be more expensive if you rent your home. Not only will you need to pay the rent but you’ll also have utilities, groceries, Internet bill and you’ll need reliable transportation to and from college. It may also prove to be lonelier because you won’t have as much time for socializing since you’ll be traveling back and forth.
Consider all of the advantages and disadvantages associated with going to college and living on or off campus and it’ll be easier to choose the one that best suits your needs. Take your personal preferences into consideration when deciding. For instance, you’ll have to decide what is most important to you, your privacy or saving money? Consider your financial situation and anything else that you can think of that will help you make the right decision.
