When you first start your college journey, I think the dorms are a great way to ease yourself into living away from home. In the dorms, you have an R.A., a roommate, and tons of other students around you, so you’re not living truly independently. You also have authority figures who can help you with roommate issues or any problems with your room.
Personally, after two years of dorm living, I was more than ready to never live in a dorm again, but moving off campus can feel very intimidating. I was definitely scared of not having the supervision and structure that dorms bring to college living, but almost a year into living off campus, I am so happy I took this step. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how much I enjoy off-campus living, so I wanted to share a list of my favorite aspects of it to bring some perspective to anyone considering the move.
Freedom and Privacy
If you are an introvert like me, living in a dorm can truly be a nightmare. I had pretty good luck with roommates while I was in the dorms, but no matter who I was sharing a room with, the feeling of sharing a small space with another person made me feel constantly on edge. I would overthink every little thing I did and craved the freedom of being alone. Even though I don’t live alone in my apartment, I live with my boyfriend who I am very comfortable with, and we have enough space where I can have alone time whenever I need it.
I have noticed this makes a big difference in my overall comfort, and even when school gets overwhelming or stressful, I can regulate myself a lot easier without having to worry about my living situation or another person in my space. Overall, I just feel a much bigger sense of freedom knowing I can do what I want throughout the day, and my comfort doesn’t depend on what another person is doing. Another minor thing is that I always like to have music or a show playing when I’m doing anything, so not having to worry about always having headphones in do not disturb a roommate is a big plus.Â
Separation between home and school
One huge advantage of moving off campus is you get a much more significant contrast between your school and home life. The convenience of living in a dorm and being a quick walk away from your classes is great, but when you spend all day and night on campus, the line between academics and relaxation gets blurred. I have found that just being a quick drive away from campus has made it a lot easier to separate the two and it helps my brain know when I need to be productive and when I can rest. To really emphasize this, I like to try to stay on campus throughout the day even when I am not in class to do my work and study, so by the time I get home, I can really turn my brain off.
This is something I didn’t realize would happen before I moved off campus, but it has come to be one of my favorite parts of being in an apartment instead of a dorm. When I was living in the dorms and school got overwhelming, going back to the dorm at night didn’t feel like a full escape where I could truly relax. I was just met with more stress from noisy neighbors and communal bathrooms. Now that I have this separation and a place I look forward to going back to, I’ve found I also manage my time better, and I’m more productive during the day, so I can get to that rewarding feeling of being home.
control, responsibility, and pets
Besides the benefit of simply having more space in general, I have also really come to love the responsibility of taking care of a whole apartment. I truly enjoy cleaning, organizing, and having control over my own space, so having more than half a room to maintain and keep clean has been a very positive experience for me. The adjustment period of being in a dorm definitely prepared me to take on a bigger living space because I got used to being responsible for my own space on a much smaller scale to start. I take pride in my space, and keeping a cleaning and reset routine throughout the week is a great way for me to implement structure and discipline in my daily life.
Since moving into an off-campus apartment, I have also been able to bring my cat to live with me, which adds another new level of responsibility. My cat has been a great source of emotional support, and taking care of something other than myself also helps me alleviate stress. I know pets are not allowed at all apartment complexes, but I think it is a great benefit to consider when you are looking into off-campus living.
Overall, there are many different routes you can go when you’re deciding on living situations throughout your college journey, and there’s not just one that works for everybody. Some people love the dorms and are more than happy to stay on campus all four years, but not everyone will feel the same. I can acknowledge the convenience and structure the dorms provide, and I definitely think they help you grow and learn important lessons in those early years, but they’re just not a great fit for everyone. If you are considering moving off campus, I can’t recommend it enough; it has made my college experience so much more manageable and enjoyable.