Choosing where to live during college is an important decision. Living on campus offers the full college experience, but is more expensive and lacks privacy. Living off campus is cheaper and offers more freedom, but finding a place to rent and security can be issues.
With college comes a series of decisions: which university is best for you, which major you want, which courses to take, and where to live. Although you might not consider it at first, choosing a place to live is an important decision that will have to be lived through for the next four years. If you don’t know what you want, here’s a quick overview of your options and the pros and cons of both.
Living on campus is a popular option. Sharing a dorm room with other students gives you the full college experience: 3:00 am pizza dinners in a crowded room, full participation in college life, and close contact with friends. Living on campus is the best option if you are studying full time and have very short breaks between classes. If you need to use the college library frequently or need to carry a lot of books or materials, living on campus will certainly make things easier for you. If public transportation is not available, living on campus may be your only option.
On the other hand, campus life is expensive. Depending on the college, it can be up to three times more expensive to live on campus than to rent a place in the city. It can also be less comfortable and lacking in privacy.
Living off campus is often cheaper than living in a college dorm. It allows the freedom to live your own life without having to worry about loud curfews and roommates and the distractions of regular college life. On the negative side, it’s hard to find an owner willing to rent a place to a group of out-of-state college students.
You will likely need to supply your own furniture, although finding second-hand things to furnish a small apartment is usually not a problem as students leave a lot behind when they finish college and move on. Security is also an important issue. Campuses often have their own 24/7 security, which means you probably don’t have to worry about wandering around after sundown if you live on campus. If you live off campus, you’re on your own.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
