This is my first semester living off-campus and I had never planned on it. I am a junior and always planned on being on campus because that is how I thought I would be a part of the college experience. Due to the pandemic and other circumstances, I now live in a house I rent with four other girls. One thing is for sure, it is the best decision I have ever made. Living off-campus has brought me so many adventures I never would have experienced, and I am grateful for it.
Pro #1: Not being on a meal plan and being able to get creative in the kitchen. The on-campus meal plan is one thing on campus I do not miss. Being able to follow my own schedule and eat whenever I want has been great. I enjoy cooking my own vegetarian meals and having family meals with my roommates.
Pro #2: Personal space. Due to the pandemic, most of my classes (and everyone else’s) are online. Having my own room and being able to have a quiet space to do homework and online classes have helped me focus on my academics.
Pro #3: Learning how to adult. Renting a house with four other roommates means a lot of different things need to happen. One of which is that we are all learning how to be real adults in the real world. We are learning how to pay bills, save money on electricity, manage cleaning, and how to change the batteries in the smoke detector.
Con #1: Missing campus events. One thing I have noticed is missing fun things the campus puts on for the students. It takes more planning to come to campus than walking outside of your dorm building.
Con #2: Not living in a dorm. I put this as a con, because while I love living in my own spacey room, sometimes I miss living in a dorm. The cinderblock walls, basic wooden furniture, and sharing a small space with another person has a certain appeal to it. And sometimes I do miss it.
I was once someone who thought that if I wanted the full college experience, I had to live on campus. Now I feel it does not matter where you live, as long as you are happy and live life with no regrets.