by Mdmse. Amelie

Created on: April 03, 2009   Last Updated: April 22, 2009

Food, shelter, water: the most basic things we need for life. When it comes to college students and housing, you may find yourself moving from one place to another almost every year. Making the decision about where to live impacts the food you eat, your daily routine, and the company that you keep. Of course the most important part of being a college student is earning that degree, so you need consider that your choice should be conducive to the student lifestyle.

Think about what your life would be like living on campus in a residence hall. Most dormitories are designed for double occupancy so you will have to either find a roommate or accept the person who is assigned to the same room as you. You are taking a gamble either way. Some roommates get along great and become lifelong friends, but you might be paired with someone who has no interest in being friends and is just using the room to sleep and keep his/her stuff safe. If boundaries are set early and communication between the two of you is kept open, honest, and respectful sharing a dorm room might not be a big deal.

Many students are happy to live on campus in residence halls. The best part of it is that you are able to have a full college experience. It is easier to meet new friends when you live on campus because it is easier to become involved with student organizations and campus life. Having friends who are also students creates a support system of people who understand what it means to pull an all-nighter or the significance of lost flash drive. Living on campus means you will live, eat, and breathe college life almost every day.

On the other hand, consider the opportunity costs of living on campus. Sure, your classes and friends are close, but are you going to work part time while in school? You and every other student are in competition for the same jobs that are within walking distance. Commuters have fewer geographic constraints and therefore have a greater job pool to pick from. It is common for commuters to just take evening or online classes and therefore are able to work a normal day job, not just evenings and weekends.

Choosing to commute will mean that your life is not going to revolve 100 percent around college life. You potentially will spend significant amounts of time traveling, which is not conducive to anything and will sap your energy and make it harder to concentrate later. Commuters often only come to campus to attend classes and maybe study and this inaccessibility makes it harder

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>