There are many college students that are living off campus and I was wondering, does living on campus all four years really beneficially? Or does one year suffice?
Hello, I am a freshman majoring biomedical engineering in Arizona State University. I hope to gain great knowledge from others that can be beneficial. #IraAFultonSchoolsofEngineering
4 answers
Kristen Silbo, LCSW
Kristen’s Answer
Hello Joseline! It is really up to your personal preference. I personally lived two years on campus, and two years off. Like everything, there were pros and cons to both.
The school I went to requires you live on campus for freshman year and then you can choose to do what you like after that. Living on campus the first year was definitely helpful because it forced students to be more immersed into the school and campus. I made a lot of lifelong friends living on campus, and it was easy to get to class and my job in the dining hall. Sophomore year I also lived on campus, which was also convenient for getting to classes, but after that year I just felt like it was time for a change.
The benefits of living off campus junior and senior year was that I saved money (rent was cheaper than room and board), I got to live in an apartment for the first time and learn what that experience was like, I got to experience what the downtown had to offer, and I just liked studying and doing work in my apartment. The downsides to living off campus is you have to make more of an effort to grocery shop/cook (for some people they might not see that as a downside), if you want to meet with a professor or do something on campus it takes more time to get there, and you have to have some sort of transportation to get to campus. We had a wonderful bus system in town which made it fairly easy and affordable, because parking on campus was nearly impossible and expensive (another potential downside if you were hoping to drive).
Overall, I loved both experiences for different reasons and am glad I balanced my time by doing two years on, two years off. Good luck, enjoy every minute of it, and weigh out your options more specific to your college campus before making a decision!
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Abbie’s Answer
That is a great question that I also found myself struggling with when I was a freshman. I think that it comes down to personal preference and what you really want out of your year at school. I will share a few pro and cons that I came up with when I was deciding.
Pro living off campus:
-The city you are going to school in becomes more like home, because you are experiencing other parts of it more than just on campus.
-It is cheaper than living on campus.
-Often times, rent is a year around which opens up opportunity to get an internship near your school.
-Parking is more convenient.
-You can have a pet if you would like.
-Often times, off campus apartments are a little bit nicer (no sharing bathroom/bedroom)
Cons living off campus:
-The commute to school requires extra effort and can make skipping class more tempting.
-Often people become less involved in clubs and events, because they have to travel back to campus for them.
-Less opportunities to make new friends in an apartment compared to a dorm.
-If you don't plan on staying in the summer, you don't have to worry about paying rent.
-You don't have as much responsibilities (cable bill, electricity, trash)
-Hard finding parking for sporting events
Kaylee’s Answer
I'm an ASU alumni and I was a student in the W.P. Carey School of Business! I lived on campus for 3 years and off campus for 1 year and there's definitely pros and cons to both. I lived in dorms my first year and the on campus apartments the next 2 years.
A couple pros of living on campus for me personally was being walking distance to all areas of campus without paying a higher price for rent and having quieter buildings. The off campus apartments immediately near campus can have a little bit of a higher price and can be louder at nights since the on campus housing is usually monitored by the resident hall leaders. My building was quite loud on weekends which was a little stressful during exam time and it was a bit more expensive since I chose a complex walking distance from campus.
I loved living in the on campus apartments because I was able to have my own room and a full kitchen so I was able to learn to cook for myself and have some more independence. I lived in a 4 bedroom/4 bathroom unit with 3 other roommates which I found was a great balance of independence and privacy and also being able to socialize with my roommates. The on campus apartments could be a great balance of on campus housing with increased independence from dorms.
A couple cons to living in the on campus apartments was not having summer housing and still having to follow the university scheduled move-in and move-out dates. Moving was a lot of work for me with packing and organizing my belongings and the added kitchen/living room items so having a move-in date during some extracurricular activities that had already started for me was a little stressful. And at the end of the year, move-out right after finals was also a little stressful to pack and move out on time.
In the off campus apartment, I was able to move in before my extracurricular activities began and was able to stay all summer so I had some extra time to pack before having to move out. A con though is paying the extra months of rent with the lease being a full year versus just the academic year.
There's plenty of pros and cons to bother and lots of great housing options at and around ASU! I hope you enjoy your time at ASU and Go Devils!
