In the beginning of the academic year, it is a scramble for Howard University students to find housing. Some prefer on-campus housing, while others are looking for somewhere off-campus to live. So what’s really the move? We want to know.
Now that we are halfway through the fall semester, people are finally settled into their chosen residences and ready to spill the beans about what’s great (and maybe not so great) about their living situation.
One thing most Howard students are concerned with is convenience. “It’s so much easier to make it to all your morning classes when you live on-campus,” Cedrick Lee, junior, said. “You can easily wake up, leave in sweats, then, come back to bed. You only need to wake up like 20 minutes before class.”
“Of course when you live off-campus, you have to set aside extra time for your commute,” Trenton Hardison, senior, said. “It kind of sucks. Luckily, I live sort of close to campus so I don’t have to commute super far. But for people who do live far, it must be terrible.”
Seems like in the convenience category, on-campus living is #winning.
However, what about the independence factor? “I can’t wait to move off-campus, only because they treat you like a child in the dorms,” Rachel O’Neal, junior, said. “People are grown in here, like over 21 years old, and they still trip off little things, like a bottle of wine.”
“When you’re off-campus, you don’t have to worry about any of that RA (Resident Assistant) nonsense,” Jalyse Cuff, senior said. “We can turn up whenever we want, and not have to worry. You’re actually making your own rules for once.”
Off-campus housing is definitely the move if you want to feel independent.
Another important aspect is the quality of living.“I stay in UTC (University Towers Center) and it’s way nicer than any dorm I’ve stayed in,” Jacquise Payton, junior, said. “You have a bigger bed, a private bathroom, new appliances and furniture and you don’t have to worry about rats or roaches.”
“Unless you’re staying in one of the new dorms (College Hall North/South), then you’re living somewhere old, dirty and broke down,” Johnny Cooper, junior, said.
You decide. Does the convenience of on-campus housing trump the fact that you may not feel as independent or happy with the quality of your dorm? In some situations, it may. It all boils down to your individual wants and needs. Who knows? Off-campus housing might just be for you, or maybe you should stay in one the dormitory options Howard University has to offer. Making a change in your living situation might just be in your cards this upcoming spring semester.