Living in the dorms freshmen year is MUST for any collegiette. You meet new people, everything is so convenient and you get a little taste of what it would be like to be a full functioning independent adult. After freshmen year though you’ve gotten that first year college dorm experience so now what? There isn’t one right answer and everyone’s circumstance is different but before choosing whether or not to fill out the housing application it’s important to consider these pros and cons of on-campus living.
Living on campus will almost always be more convenient for on campus activities and classes. If you are the type of person who likes to be very involved and is super busy, we strongly suggest you consider this point. The dorms are right on campus and within walking distance of the PHC, life center, and if you are game for a longer walk, all the class buildings, library and Greek Row. Plus, if it’s cold or you are just feeling lazy, than there is the shuttle system that is designed purely for students going around campus (unlike UTA). This makes your transportation time go way down and gives you extra time in your busy day!
On the flip side, you will ALWAYS be on campus and it can become difficult to ever feel like you are getting away and to relax.
If you live on campus, you will meet more of your fellow Utes! It’s basically unavoidable to meet the people in your hall and get to know each other- not to mention your roommates whom you may or may not have known before. You share a living space and that automatically gives you something in common. The more people you know on campus the better your networking is, the more connections you have, and the more fun your college experience will be.
On the other hand, living in an apartment or in a house with friends can be super fun and gives you even more independence and practice “adult-ing.”
Your scholarship might apply to on-campus housing. For those of us who are lucky enough to get a scholarship that covers room and board, you will want to carefully examine the fine print of it. Most of these scholarships, you will not be using it to their full potential if you choose to take the money instead of living in the housing that the school provides. In essence, if you are in this situation, living on campus is better for your piggy bank.
For those of us who aren’t as lucky, it is a common known thing that living on campus is EXPENSIVE. With minimum apartment and house hunting, you should be able to find cheaper living and with generally more space.
On campus living makes you super close to all the most important amenities. Any by that we mean the gym, food and your friends. The new life center is amazing and an incredible facility. If you don’t live on campus, you are way less likely to actually get out of bed and use it. Also, there are tons of on-campus food options that you can take advantage of when you live on campus and like I mentioned before, this is generally more convenient and efficient than if you were to live off campus and having to plan most of your meals. Finally, for your friends who also live on campus you are at most a 10-minute walk away. With all of you being so close, you are guaranteed to have more friend dates, study sessions, and group meals together!
Another perspective is that while it is super convenient to all be so close and yet at the same time, have your own space, very few things will bring you closer than sharing an apartment or a house!
Overall, after living on campus your freshmen year, you have to make a choice and in our opinion, there is no right one for everyone. Make sure to consider the pros and cons and pick what works best for you! Most importantly, no matter what you do, make sure to stay involved, stay focused in school and HAVE FUN.