Living in off-campus dorms or lodging places for college students can have a lot of pros and cons. To illustrate, we have outlined some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in off-campus accommodations.
Advantages of living in off-campus accommodations
Owners of off-campus accommodations do not employ curfew periods. This gives students the chance to work late night in libraries or party till dawn. One of the perks that living in an off-campus apartment gives is that tenants have the chance to choose their room mates. These establishments also have rooms for students who want to have a room all by himself or herself. Aside from this, off-campus accommodations usually do not require student tenants to attend dorm gatherings and activities. So students have the option not to socialize with their fellow tenants if they don’t feel like doing so.
Disadvantages of living in off-campus accommodations
Living in an off-campus dorm or apartment will really give you the benefit of doing whatever you like. These facilities are generally not restricted by the campus’ rules and regulations. Although this might appear to be advantageous, it can also work against the students. The exemption on school regulations also means that the dorm is not included in the campus’ security and safety measures. There are no campus roaming guards that will protect students in the wee of the night.
Students living in off-campus accommodations might also feel detached from their university. Announcements, events and festivities are not felt in off-campus accommodations. Also, the rental fees in off-campus accommodations are also expensive than that of their on-campus counterparts. Not all students living in off-campus accommodations enjoy student discounts.
Expenses in off-campus living may also double. This is because the location of an off-campus apartment or dorm is usually far from the university campus. This means that students have to allot budget for transportation expenses.
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If you are living in a place far from your university or college, then why not consider looking for a college dorm? This particular college facility can be your temporary home while you are finishing your college term. But before you start to pack your things, take a look at some tips that will help you in your college dorm hunting:
Check out the dorm’s amenities and privacy measures
Remember that the college dorm will be your home for the next four or five years. So, it is important that you feel comfortable in it. The college dorm you should live in must have bathrooms that can accommodate the number of students living in it. Most students complain that their college dorms only have 1 bathroom for half of the students. Aside from the inconvenience that this setup gives, it is also unhygienic to share a bathroom with a lot of people.
If you want to have your own private bathroom, go for dorms that have “singles” rooms. But bear in mind that such special college dorm amenities will also require higher dorm rental fees.
Identify location and financial costs
Not all on-campus dorms are situated near the buildings where your classes are held. If you need to travel to get to your classes, calculate your travel expenses. Add that particular expense to your dorm rental fees and other living expenses. After that, evaluate if you can get by with the costs of all these additional expenses.
Get recommendations from friends and upperclassmen
It is very likely for upperclassmen to know the best dorms on-campus. Ask around. Doing so will give you the chance of knowing what it’s like to live in a particular dorm. The pieces of advice you can gather will also make your dorm-hunting easy.
Photo Credit : Katie Dureault
