Student Housing Options – Pros and Cons

If you are a college student, you belong to one of these groups – incoming freshmen, transferees, or continuing or returning students.  Whichever group it is that you belong to, you stand to benefit a lot from careful consideration of your residence.  Students looking to move should consider the pros and cons of different student housing options.

Off-campus Apartments/Houses

Off-campus residency during college is a good option, but there are a few disadvantages.

• Pros

Privacy and freedom are the ultimate benefits of this option.  For as long as you can guarantee your safety and can make reliable decisions, living off-campus will allow you to live away from scrutinizing eyes and to have a good chance of running things the way you see fit.  This option will also allow you to enjoy a wider living space, have access to school facilities during winter and summer vacations, do your groceries and use your own means of transportation.

If you are the type who studies a lot, off-campus housing can keep you away from non-academic activities, allowing you to focus on getting good grades.

• Cons

A few drawbacks include tightening the budget and the possibility of not getting cheap housing.  Most housing rentals are priced above the average because of high demand and high valuations of properties near schools.  Proper budgeting is a must.

On-Campus Housings

On-campus housings have advantages and disadvantages, too.  See if any of the following options suit you.

• Freshmen Dormitory

With a freshmen dormitory, you will be grouped with other freshmen, which you might find advantageous.  You will not have to adjust too much like you would in a setting where there are students from higher levels.  Building camaraderie would be a lot easier because everyone is on the same footing and might be taking the same subjects under the same professors.

However, because you are all coming from different backgrounds, you might find the behavior of your mates distracting.  Since everyone is new to the setting, some students might find it hard to adjust to new rules and regulations and would sometimes break some of them.

• All-class Dormitory

The only advantage of this setting when compared to freshmen dormitories is that all-class dormitories allow mentoring between students from the upper levels and freshmen.  If you relish the idea of a senior or a junior student guiding you through the first steps, this is your option.

However, for introverts and those who don’t welcome sharing bathroom and study spaces with others, this option may not be good.

• Single Dormitory

This option is not ideal for the social butterfly, but it may be the best option for someone who loves privacy but wouldn’t want to live outside the campus.  In this setting, you can leave the lights on and watch TV all night long without worrying about someone getting bothered by your lifestyle.  But you will need to have a tight rein on the budget just like in off-campus options. You can also expect to have smaller space and have to pay more than the regular on-campus residencies.

• On-campus Apartment

If you are a returnee, an on-campus apartment may be for you.  Apart from having a higher degree of freedom and enjoying more amenities, this housing option is ideal as you prepare for the more challenging tasks associated with upper-level learning.  Here, you won’t have to live in a cramped space together with dozens of students and will not have to be bothered by utility bills.  The university takes care of these.

An on-campus apartment has an RA or a caretaker of the facilities and of the occupants.  There are rules to follow and penalties for misconduct.  Here, you will also have to do the budgeting and the usual tasks akin to house chores.

You will spend at least four years in the university, depending on your course.  Wrong housing options can make your years there hellish.  Study your options carefully with this goal – to spend a wonderful time taking this important step towards the achievement of your dreams.