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Is it better to live in a dorm or rent an apartment in college?

What are the pros and cons of each and how does it affect your everyday life? #college #university #college-major #college-advice #dorm #cost

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Thank you comment icon Hello Alex, I am currently a third-year in college and have experienced both dorm and apartment life. Living in a dorm will be easier to meet new people. Another pro is that you'll be on campus and necessities will be more easily accessible. However, dorms usually have less personal space and are more expensive. The benefit of apartments is that you can cook and there will be more space for you to place belongings. Housing will be cheaper off-campus, as you can split costs with friends or people you meet. However, apartments are further from campus than dorms, so it may be inconvenient and there's more space for you to clean. At the end of the day, both are valid and have their benefits, and I hope that my experiences help you come to a conclusion of which you should choose. Patrick
Thank you comment icon Hi Alex, Personally, I prefer to live in an apartment because you have more privacy and room to work with. Kitchens are also not included in dorms so it makes cooking harder. Bathrooms are shared and it tends to get kind of gross at times. Living at the dorms makes the campus a lot more accessible though. Especially if the campus is large and it takes a while to get from one location to the other. It makes it easier to get to classes and school events. Depending on the school they may even make you live at the dorms during your first year. If you have a car or good transportation to campus I recommend living in an apartment. Parking is limited and expensive though, so if you're not going to use your car don't bring it. You could still take the bus to school. Kevin
Thank you comment icon Hi Alex! I think it definitely depends on the college, but in my experience I lived in a dorm my freshman year and then switched to an apartment. I went to a big school (University of Florida), so living in a dorm freshman year was a great way to meet new people! Also, the dorm locations are very convenient and close to classes, gym, dining halls, and campus in general. Dorms were also cheaper than apartments in my case, but again that varies depending on the school. Switching to an apartment is also a good experience later on because you get more space and a kitchen which is ideal if you plan on cooking more! Hope this helps :) Victoria Wajsbrot
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Angelina’s Answer

Hi Alex!
I've experienced both and honestly, I think both have their pros and cons and I think that everybody should experience both. I think you should live in the dorms for at least your freshman year. It's easier to meet people and make friends with the people on your floor. I feel like you make most of your dumb college memories your freshman year. It's also convenient to eat at a dining hall because you don't need to worry about cooking, however, the food isn't always the best. It's also convenient because it's close to all your classes, so you don't have to worry about commuting. It can also be more expensive to live in the dorms because colleges want your money. You also will have to share a communal bathroom, and that can get a little gross.

Living off-campus is definitely nice because you have a lot more freedom and independence. It's even nicer if you have a car too. However, there is a lot of adulting involved with living off-campus, such as figuring out how to pay rent and bills. I think for me, the biggest adulting challenge was cooking for myself. You have to go grocery shopping and buy foods that you want to eat, but also are kinda healthy. Then, you have to prep the food before you cook. Then, it's the actual cooking, assuming you have decent cooking skills (if you don't, learn asap!). After that, you have to clean and wash all the dishes. You would think that's all, but you're constantly thinking about what your next meal will be because if you're defrosting meat, you'll have to take that out a few hours in advance.

Basically, I would say live in the dorms for at least your first year to get that freshman college experience, but definitely try to live off-campus because it will prepare you for adulting. The dorm life is convenient, but living off-campus teaches you independence and responsibility.
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Francisco’s Answer

Hi Alex,

From my perspective both are good options depending on what you are looking for. Dorms on one side are small rooms you will have to share with 1 to 3 people depending on the dorm design. You won't have a lot of privacy and you will have to share space, facilities, and also you will have to use a common laundry room and other utilities. An apartment might be a bit more expensive, but you are more likely to have more room, even your own room, and have more freedom to pick who you are sharing with, since in dorms is mostly assigned by the university. Overall, it depends on your personal preferences and ability to pay the school fees or the rent.

Hope this helps!
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Kevin’s Answer

There is absolutely value to both. If you have the means to do so, you should absolutely live on campus, at least for a semester or year at the beginning of the college experience. Living in housing with fellow students presents you with so many opportunities to form long lasting friendships as well as the ability to take advantage of more spontaneous opportunities (study sessions, rehearsals, group trips) that can help cement longterm friendships/relationships with other scholars, who in the long run may be networking resources for you down the line.
College is an opportunity to form transformational relationships and any opportunity to take advantage of that is worth doing, again, if you have the means and resources to do so.
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Laeki’s Answer

Hi Alex!

I stayed in a dorm for only one year and the rest of the time, I stayed in an apartment. As I look back, I wish I had stayed in the dorm at least one more year. It was actually nice to live in the dorm because I had personal freedom but I still had people who looked over me. I was taught a lot of important life skills, like washing clothes, selecting nutritional foods to eat, time management, etc. I made lifetime friends in the dorm that showed me genuine love and fellowship. I am an only child so that meant a lot.

I also enjoyed living in an apartment because it taught me independence and everything that is related to independence. It also taught me the purpose of responsibility. However, if I had to make a choice, I honestly would have lived in the dorm a little while longer, allowing me time to be a tad bit more mature.
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