A new semester is just around the corner, which means that hundreds of freshmen will make the monumental shift from living in the comfort of their own homes to venturing out into the cold, harsh world of dorm life. As we all know, obviously, living on campus comes with its own set of challenges, but it can also help improve your life in ways you never thought, help you meet so many new people, and try so many new things. As someone who has experienced both commuting and on-campus living, I have seen it all, experienced it all, and have tons of opinions. I am here to tell you today the pros and cons of living on campus.
Pro: you make so many new friends!
One of the biggest pros (in my opinion) is how easy it is to make new friends. When you live on campus, you are able to meet so many new friends who are different from yourself, who have come from so many different backgrounds and cultures, and who live so many different lifestyles. As a result, you are exposed to so many different viewpoints that are different from your own. Another advantage when it comes to making new friends is how easy it is to get close to and bond with your new friends if you live on campus. One of my biggest complaints as a commuter was that it was hard to bond with people because it was hard for me to stay on campus for clubs and social gatherings. After all, I lived 45 minutes away. I had to keep going home and kept missing out on all the social stuff! I liked it a lot better when I lived on campus. Then, I was able to attend as many clubs and social gatherings as I pleased and was able to bond more with my friends because I actually had time to hang out with them and go to clubs with them!
Con: You Have To Live With ROOMMATES
An immense obstacle that is hard for many college students to navigate is living with a roommate. Unless you are lucky enough to score a single or have accommodations, you have to suck it up and deal with a roommate. And living with someone unfamiliar can be an… adjustment to say the least, especially if you have a roommate you didn’t know before rooming with them. If you get a roommate you don’t know, you don’t know what they’re like, they could be a good roommate, or they could be the lazy kind who never cleans up after themselves. You can even have this problem if you room with friends, too, because you never truly know a person until you live with them. It can also be quite an adjustment, if you’ve never had to share your living space with someone, to how to communicate with your roommate about rules and boundaries.
pro: but you learn how to navigate living with a roommate!
Even though getting used to living with a roommate is a really scary thing — why else would I have made a whole con section dedicated to it — I still think it is an important thing to do! I mean, you’re going to have to live with a roommate eventually given the rising cost of rent, and it’s better to learn how to deal with one sooner rather than later in my opinion. Plus, think of all the life skills you get to learn! You get to learn how to communicate your needs effectively, how to set boundaries when it comes to what both you and your roommate are ok with when sharing a living space, and settle disagreements with your roommates, and how to navigate sharing your living space. and you also learn how to be a good roommate too, respect your roommate’s wishes and pick up after yourself, which is equally important.
Con: but… you can get homesick
A huge con that many college students face when they live on campus is overcoming crippling homesickness. For many college students, it’s the first time in their lives they’ve lived apart from their parents, and it can be difficult. When you go to college, you might not even live in the same state as your parents, so you can’t just see them whenever you want. This can be hard, because that means if you need help, you can’t just ask your parents, or if you feel homesick, you can’t just go home, you have to find other solutions for your problems, or just be content with FaceTime-ing your parents.
Pro: you learn to be independent!
Being homesick is hard, I know, and everyone handles it differently, but due to how busy college keeps you, you tend to get over it. Plus, the nice thing about college is that it teaches you how to be independent in a way you wouldn’t be able to if you still lived at home. Not only do you learn how to be in charge of your schedule without your parents, but you also learn how to do your own laundry, clean your own living space, deal with roommates, manage your own social life, and have an on-campus job. Living on campus can help you learn important life skills.
Con: it is hard to get any peace and quiet
A massive con that I experienced in living on campus is that it is hard to get any peace and quiet. Wherever you turn, there is always noise! Whether it be from your roommate, the people down the hall in your dorm, or the people outside, college is a place where it is hard to experience true peace and quiet. Owning a pair of noise-canceling headphones will help you out greatly.
Pro: you get to try so many new things!
However, a pro of living on campus that I have really enjoyed is all the new experiences you get exposed to while living on campus! There are tons of clubs for you to try out, which means tons of new activities and hobbies for you to learn. Not only that, but there are also fun activities for you to do such as late night, and all the basketball games, which are really good ways to gain school spirit! There are tons of new experiences to be gained from living on campus, and I highly recommend it!
So, these are the pros and cons of living on campus! Do the pros of living on campus outweigh the cons? It’s up to you, honestly. I’m not here to tell anyone what they should or should not do, and besides, it’s all down to individual preference; what works for one person might not work with another. You just have to do what’s best for you. Anyway, that’s all for today! See you all next time!
