What’s it like living on campus at UW? Here are some pros and cons to help you out!
- Pro: You can sleep in a little longer.
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Getting up in the morning to go to class can be incredibly tough sometimes. Your bed is comfy and warm, and you’re tired. But if you live on campus, you could probably get by leaving your dorm 10 minutes before class and still make it on time if you live close enough to the building.
- Con: Living in Seattle is pricey.
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I come from a relatively average-sized city where the minimum wage is $13, not $15. So, needless to say, having to pay a couple more dollars for shampoo or makeup products, kind of sucks.
- Pro: You don’t have to walk far to get some coffee.
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When I lived at home and drove to school, I would need to leave at least 20 minutes earlier if I wanted to get coffee before class. Thankfully, we have two Starbucks on campus where you can get your caffeine fix, or if you don’t have time to wait in the long lines at Suzallo or the HUB, there are several coffee spots inside dining halls that also have decent coffee.
- Con: You don’t have a whole lot of options for food.
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Unless you cook food in your dorm, you pretty much have the same options available at any three of the dining halls, and you can get sick of pasta, pizza, and sandwiches pretty fast. I will say some locations vary on options, but still, it’s usually the same sort of food every week.
- Pro: Going to your place between classes is a lot easier.
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If you live on campus, it’s easy to go back to your dorm and take a quick nap between classes. If you forgot something, it’s also easier to go back and get it. Plus, if you need a quick break from socializing, you can just go lay on your bed and watch some Netflix in between classes.
- Con: People in dorms are not always the most considerate.
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Lounges in the dorms are not always too accessible as people leave their dirty dishes in the sink and don’t clean up after themselves. Plus, if you want to make food, chances are people are using the lounge to hold their group study sessions which is never fun. Similarly, doing laundry can be quite a tedious task as people don’t always get their clothes right away, so you’re stuck waiting for a while.
Of course this is just my experience of living on campus, so everyone’s will be different! For reference, I live on North Campus in Madrona Hall and have a private bathroom to myself. Hopefully, my reflection of on-campus living will be helpful for anyone considering living on campus!