Living on Campus vs Living Off Campus

When entering college, there are many things to consider. Having to make such important life decisions can be very overwhelming for a high school senior. Not only are teenagers expected to make a decision on where they are going to potentially be spending the next four years, but they are also deciding who and how that is going to look like. In the article “A college education should include rooming with a stranger,” Ann Altman uses emotional diction to persuade readers to consider what their living conditions will be like their first year of college.

When considering about college, the first thing came to mind is life in a dormitory. I have heard horror stories about living in dorms which made me anxious about my upcoming dorm life. What would life be when living away from parents? What adjustments would require making from home to dorm life? How would the balance of time when managing myself? New problems from dorm-ate and neighbors? What is it like to shower in a co-ed bathroom? Countless questions have popped in mind before I stepped in college. However, recalling from this one month of college life, I have noticed some significant changes as I move out from the roof of parents and into a dorm room.

Living on campus requires you to only walk a relatively short distance from the dorm to the classroom. You are also surrounded by other students your age with similar ideals and outlooks on life as your own. Meals are accessible and on campus activities are much more convenient and ideal to attend. Living on campus does for the most part does have its benefits. As a student living on campus you are given the opportunity to socialize on a regular bases. Interaction becomes easier because you are amongst an atmosphere of likeminded individuals. Whether it may be in the dormitory among roommates or sitting in the quad with friends between classes.

Numerous studies all over the world have made assumptions about the academic performance of students staying on campus in residences and those who travel to campus every day. Some studies suggest that those students who live in campus residences tend to have an advantage over those who don’t (Peterson, 1975). The following review based in related literature will strive to be as thorough as possible about the chosen topic and problems.

Hence, students must learn to properly nourish their bodies with a nutritional diet, enough sleep, and limited intake of alcohol or dugs. Next, students must feel both safe in regards to financial and personal security. Financially security is often what both dormers and commuters alike struggle with, and often take on 20+ hours of work (a damaging effect on school work), or have no gaurantee of being able to afford to come back to school the next year. Also, students learn in college and enjoy their time there if they feel safe enough to explore the campus and walk at night, or use the bus. Hence a low crime rate should be necessary. Thirdly, belonging means students feel they have close friends and family to talk to and be accepted by both at home and on campus. In this sense, it is easier for dormers to find friends on campus, but get more distances with those back at home, while the opposite is true for commuters. However, if both make an effort to get involved in groups of their interest on campus, and keep in touch with family and friends back home, they can overcome these struggles, although it may be difficult at first due to the big campus size and busy schedules. Once the basic needs are met so far, students must feel a sense of self-worth and achievement. They need to

One of the things that dormers are responsible for is their finances. When a student chooses to commute, they tend to save money. Commuters do not have to pay for their meals, utilities, furniture for their dorm room, and more. One very expensive fee that commuters avoid is the housing fee. Plus, they are more motivated to get a job which translates to more money in hand.

The focus of this paper is to dispel a common view that community colleges do not provide on-campus housing and to provide greater insights into the types of community colleges that provide on-campus housing, the typical student who resides in on-campus housing, a guide to various California community colleges that provide on-campus housing, and the impact that on-campus housing has on student learning outcomes, financial gains for community colleges that provide on-campus housing, and an overview of the lack of data in the area of not only on-campus housing in community colleges, but community colleges at large. According to Cohen and Brawer (2008) access to student housing is one of the fundamental dissimilarities between public

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is one of the largest universities in Tennessee; however, they do not offer enough housing to provide for all of their students. As a result, students are expected to find their own housing off-campus. Hence, students must live in off-campus apartment complexes that are expensive, too far away, and difficult for young students to rent. While there are some benefits to off-campus housing, students face many problems in securing these types of housing situations. The prices of off-campus housing are high and the locations are often too far away from campus to walk. In addition, many apartment complexes do not want young, college-aged people living there.

Although Valdosta State University is a smaller school compared to some of the big SEC schools in the state of Georgia, it is still considered to be a well-known university. With a count of about nine thousand undergraduate students attending the school, “First year freshmen are required to live on campus” (“Freshmen Residency”). There are a couple of reasons for this requirement that most people will agree are extremely valid. For example, experts say that students that live on campus for their first year seem to achieve better grades; they also have a better chance of meeting more people around campus since they spend most of their time in the perimeter. Since most first-year students

The thrill of moving out for college, the new profound independence that one encounters once they indulge themselves in the undergraduate experience is something I’m yet to experience. ASU recommends every Freshman to live on campus at least their first year of college and to join various clubs and organizations in order to fully enhance the undergraduate experience. Unfortunately, I couldn’t partake in that tradition, due to financial problems, I haven’t yet had the privilege of living on campus. Throughout my undergraduate career thus far, not living on campus has been a huge burden that often prevents me from being able to attend beneficial events that will help me in my future. If I’m selected into the McCord Scholars Program, it will greatly

College is a life changing experience for students. College is a new environment for most students and comes with lots of challenges. Things such as the increased difficulty of academic work and not being around the same social groups as a student was before college can make the transition very difficult. One of the best things a student can do to help with this transition is to live in a campus residence hall. Students should live in dorms because of the community that this creates. Students will gain many beneficial social interactions, will be able to better complete academic work, and will ease the adjustment to college life.

Residential life sets the tone for ones college experience and with four different places to live means four different experiences to have had this year.

There are many advantages for living on campus, however, there also many disadvantages too. Constant companionship in your living space can sometimes be a disadvantage, especially in situations when you want privacy. If you are accustomed to living in your own room in your parents’ house and suddenly have to share a room with others, this can take some adjustment time (Bartkowski1). Noise also is huge factor to the disadvantages of living on campus. Dorms can be a noisy place, considering there are many students living there who gather in dorm rooms or the lounge. However, if you need some quiet time to study or do homework, you can always go to the library.

The first year of college comes with many changes and challenges. These changes can include the food in the cafeteria, study habits, time management skills, and much more. Every student has to find their own way to handle the first year and determine what works best for them. For many the most essential change is living away from home. Campus life provides opportunities to become a part of a unique, diversified community. With these opportunities come challenges, such as having a roommate, being away from one’s parents, and determining self-limits.

Going into college is like going into a foreign land. The student does not know many people, most likely will not know the area, and does not have much money. More so does not have any. A college student will do whatever it takes to save a penny, whether it is getting a part time job or even selling their fortunes on Ebay. Living on campus has many benefits just as living off campus. Looking at the cost, the community, and responsibilities the student will have to determined the best living that will fit your needs.