Benefits of Living On Campus

When you're making the big move to college, you may be faced with a few different decisions. For many students, the first choice after they choose their college is whether or not to live on the college campus or if it would be better to find a place off campus. There are several benefits of living on campus, and hopefully, your decision will be easier once you've gone through this list and made the best choice for you.

There are several benefits of living on campus, it's just a matter of seeing if these benefits work well for your budget and lifestyle.

Convenience

Living on campus is more convenient than living off campus for several reasons. If you have a meal plan, you'll have to go on campus for all your meals, so you might as well live there. When you live on campus, you don't have to deal with parking each day, which can be very frustrating, not to mention could make you late for class if you don't give yourself enough time each morning to get to campus. You also are more able to be involved in clubs, sports, and Greek life if you choose to live on-campus where everything will happen.

Academic support

Not only do studies show that you will get better grades and are more likely to graduate if you live on campus, but you also have a network of other students to collaborate with. From studying in the library to having impromptu study groups in the hallway, your academic support is much wider when you live on a college campus rather than commute. You also have a whole community that is right there with you, so if your neighbor happens to be a science major and can help you, you can walk over and ask a question rather than having to wait or call them with a complicated question about the homework assignment.

No maintenance or extra bills

When you live off campus, you unfortunately have to deal with things like a broken dryer and the internet bill changing after the special ran out. On campus, everything is factored in your fee that you pay at the beginning of the semester. You don't have to worry about taking long showers, because you don't have a separate water bill. Same thing with electricity, if your roommates leave the lights on all the time, it's not good for the environment, but it won't cripple you at the end of the month.

Socially

College is partly about classes, but it's also a social occurrence. You'll meet new people all over the campus, but the easiest way to meet someone new is to live on campus. You'll have neighbors who can walk back and forth with you from classes, you may even meet your new best friend or significant other while walking the dorm hallways. Living off campus can be a bit more secluded, your neighbors may go to the same school as you, but they may be seniors while you're a freshman, which means you won't have any classes together nor will they likely want to study together. In the dorm though, you'll have more opportunity to meet people of your age, with similar interests, who are going through the same thing. This new independence can be challenging and scary, and it's comforting to have others who are going through the exact same thing with you.

Ultimately, your college experience is completely up to you, and you may find that these benefits of living on campus aren't really necessary for you or aren't all that beneficial to you and your budget. Everyone is different, and on campus living isn't for everyone. It's important to look at yourself and recognize if you would be better on or off campus.