The season of housing selection is upon us, and with it comes many stressful decisions. Who should you live with? Where should you live with them? We know how hard it can be to decide if you want to move off-campus as you move up the college ranks, so we’ve created this comprehensive pros and cons list to help you make the decision that’s best for you!
- Pro: You Can Finally Have Your Own Kitchen
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While some colleges offer apartment-style dorming, your typical dorm room isn’t going to offer much in the kitchen department. A mini-fridge and a coffee maker are cute, but sometimes you want to cook a real meal, and having to use a communal kitchen in the middle of a pandemic just isn’t cutting it.
- Con: You Either Have to Drive or Find Something Within Walking Distance
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Depending on the off-campus options your school provides, you might end up pretty far from campus. Unless you’re in a city with public transportation readily available, this means you’re going to need a license and a car, which not everyone has access to.
- Pro: You Can Live With the Number of People That’s Right for You
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When it comes to dorming, you can only live with a certain amount of people, depending on your housing situation. When you move off-campus, you can decide to look for a house or apartment that will hold the exact amount of people that you would prefer to live with, and you can pick your friends to be those people!
- Con: You Have to Buy Groceries
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When you calculate your housing costs, don’t forget to add food in! If you move off-campus, you’re not going to want to go back for every meal, so grocery shopping will go from an occasional outing to a necessity.
- Pro: You Can Control Your Own Space
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No more ugly dorm furniture! When you have a house or apartment that’s all yours, you can put whatever furniture and decorations in that you want. Resident life rules will finally be out the window.
- Con: The Safety of Campus Will No Longer Be There
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Between security, gates, locks, swipe card access and other safety measures, campus life provides a sense of security to those residing there full-time. However, when you live off-campus, your safety is up to you, so don’t take that responsibility lightly!
If you’re considering moving off-campus next semester, we hope this list helped you with your decision! Be sure to weigh your own priorities against this guide and talk to people you trust before making such a big decision. Good luck with your hunt!