As every college student knows, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make during your college years is whether to live on campus or off campus. It’s no small matter—it can literally affect every aspect of your college experience!
On one hand, living on campus puts you right in the center of all the action and you don’t have to worry about transportation.
But on the other hand, living off campus can give you a lot more freedom and privacy. So, how do you decide? Well, it’s all about weighing your options and figuring out what works best for you.
In this blog post, I’ve made a list of all the pros and cons of both on-campus and off-campus living so you can make the best decision for your college life.
The Pros and Cons of Living ON Campus vs OFF Campus: An Unbiased Look at Student Housing
So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both on-campus and off-campus living?
In order to decide which is right for you, it’s important to look at some of the main points.
On campus living has some definite advantages. For one, living on campus makes it easy to access campus facilities and activities. With everything within walking distance, you don’t have to worry about transportation or being too far away from the hub of student life.
Additionally, on-campus living can often be cheaper than off-campus living because many colleges offer discounted housing rates to their students.
On Campus Living: Sure, it’s Closer to Class…But is It Worth the Sacrifice?
1. You’ll be close to your classes
One of the best reasons to consider living on campus during your time in college is that you’ll be in close proximity to all of your classes.
This means you’ll get to wake up late, take shorter walks to class, and won’t need to arrange any kind of public transportation.
You’ll be able to avoid getting caught out in heavy rain or thunderstorms on your way home and will be able to navigate your way around the campus perfectly.
Related: Living off Campus in College: 11 Things you need to Know
Related: How to Survive (And Thrive) Your Freshman Year of College
2. You can take advantage of campus facilities
One of the best things about college campuses is that they have absolutely everything you could possibly need! With gyms, shops, cafes, bars, a library and so much more, you won’t need to go far to fulfill your academic and recreational needs.
Campuses are designed to be your home if you live in them, so you’ll be able to find everything a student could ever want right outside your front door.
3. There’s an immersive student community
College campuses almost always consist of multiple student dorm buildings, creating a large community of students all living closely together.
Related: Dive into the Social Scene Already! (How to Make Friends in College)
The first people that you meet after moving to college are the ones that you live with or are close to, which is an easy way to make friends. The on-campus community is incredibly diverse and a great way to meet people from all over the country.
Lots of students enjoy hanging out on campus too, so you’ll never be too far away from the excitement of socializing.
4. All your utilities will be included: Living on campus vs off campus
When you’ve moved away to college, the last thing that you want to be thinking about is arranging your water and electricity bills.
Luckily, most dorms on campus offer utilities included in the price charged for your rent, so you won’t need to waste any time contacting suppliers and setting up payments with them. Instead, you’ll be able to pay for everything at once, with the college making things go as smoothly as possible for you.
This way, you get to go out and enjoy yourself and then come home to a hot shower! Scroll down to keep reading about all the differences between living on campus vs off campus in college.
5. You’ll have a built-in support network close by
One of the hardest things about going away to college is not having your friends and family close by.
You’ll be challenged with making new friends, adjusting to independent life in a new place, and balancing your work and your social life. That’s a lot for anyone to manage, especially at such a young age, so any available support system will be a welcome relief.
College campuses offer support services for those feeling lonely, homesick or sad, and if you live on campus, they’ll be located a short walk from where you live too.
The Pros of Going OFF Campus: Is It Really That Much Better Than On-Campus Living?
Going Off-Campus? Here are a Few Things You Should Consider
Living off campus provides more freedom and flexibility. You have more control over your environment, and you don’t have to abide by the school’s rules.
Off-campus living also offers more privacy than on-campus living. You can decorate your own space, choose who you want to live with, and even have pets if you’d like!
Of course, off-campus living can also be more expensive since you’re responsible for utilities and other expenses.
Related: Living off Campus in College: 11 Things you need to Know
1. You can separate academic life from your social life
For some people, having their entire student life in one place is perfect. However, for others, separation is the key to achieving the ideal balance of work and fun.
If you live off campus, you’ll be able to literally and figuratively leave your academic workload behind you and enjoy being in a completely non-academic space. This is a great way to wind down after a long day of college work.
2. Private accommodation offers a greater sense of independence
A lot of college dorms will require students to share a room, so you’re typically guaranteed more independence and privacy in off-campus accommodation.
You’ll be able to enjoy living closely with others without needing to sacrifice your personal space at the same time. Plus, you’ll feel more like it’s your apartment, as opposed to a college accommodation because it will have its own look and identity, whereas lots of on-campus dorms look exactly the same.
3. You can make your own rules: Living on campus vs off campus
One of the downsides of living on your college campus is that you’ll be subject to any rules and regulations set by those in charge, both during your studies and when you get home.
For example, some colleges limit the number of visitors that you’re allowed to bring into your apartment or have specific times of day and night when noise, lights, and activity are not allowed. Living off campus gives you greater freedom to set rules yourself, which is a great skill to learn.
4. You’ll live closer to other great things
Quite often, college campuses are a bit more remote because they need plenty of space, so if you ever need to go food shopping, visit the town or want to experience the area’s best nightlife, you could be in for quite a walk.
Living off campus, on the other hand, often places you right next to all these things, so your social life will be much more convenient. You’ll also be near to plenty of public transport services, so getting around shouldn’t be too hard.
5. It can be more challenging (in a good way!)
College is an incredible adventure that you’ll enjoy from start to finish. For some people, though it is daunting, living off campus is a welcome challenge because it gives you a real taste of what independent life is like for a young adult. Though there might be times when you feel overwhelmed, it’s a learning curve that will greatly benefit you in the near future.
Ultimately, there are plenty of reasons to live on campus or off campus, so it all depends on which you’d prefer.
It’s important to consider all the pros and cons before making your decision. If you’re having trouble deciding, it might help to talk to friends or family who have already gone through the process. Think about what your priorities are and make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Some people will love having everything in one place and being close to college, but others will enjoy having a bit of distance and getting to explore other aspects of the city instead.
But no matter the outcome of the battle between living on campus vs off campus, you’ll have the time of your life at college, so it’s most important that you make the most of every minute of it!
Hopefully, this blog post has helped you gain some insight into the differences between on-campus and off-campus living so that you can make the best decision for your college experience. Good luck!
“The great thing about deciding to live on campus or off is that, no matter what you choose, it will certainly be an adventure!”
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