Going to college means making a lot of decisions. From where to go and what to study all the way to how much money to put on your food card, there are choices that need to be made. One choice that needs to be addressed before you go to college is where you will be living.
If you live close to the college campus you are planning to atend you might be trying to decide whether you want to commute. You might be wanting an apartment outside of school grounds that you pay for by yourself. Either way, campus student housing should be on your list for housing to look into.
There are many conveniences that come with student housing. The benefits of student housing cannot be found in any other form of living arrangement. Here are five of the reasons you should look into student housing before you decide where to live this upcoming semester.
The Experience
Living in student housing provides a college experience unlike any other. The majority of incoming students decide to live in dorm rooms which means living in student housing gives new students the opportunity to meet people. Finding friends in a new place is a very important part of feeling settled and happy in a new environment, student housing helps that happen.
The entire experience of living in student housing is something many college graduates will tell you is irreplaceable. Learning how to share a bathroom with that many other people and how to live with a brand new person is an experience that prepares you for the world. You may never need to do that again, but you will be much better at co-existing than you were when you started.
Living with hundreds of people who are experiencing the same new thing as you are and all about your age makes you feel like a part of something. Everyone is going through your same struggles and everyone is trying to figure out how to live without their parents. Figuring those things out in a safe place with people who understand makes the transition much easier and more fun.
The Cost
Student housing is not exactly cheap, but it is lumped into your overall tuition if you choose student housing. That does not mean you are not paying for housing it just means you do not have to worry about a monthly payment to a landlord. You paid your rent at the beginning of the year so you don’t need to worry.
The benefits of having your rent paid for the semester are numerous. Getting used to college takes a bit of time, especially when you have moved away from home. Being able to focus on your studies without worrying about being kicked out of your apartment if you can’t work makes college much more relaxing.
The whole college experience is very fun but it can be very stressful. There is a lot to learn and a lot of fun new people to meet. Knowing you have the cost for the year covered lets you enjoy new people and focus on your schoolwork for your first year in a new place without concerning yourself with budgeting for rent.
The Friendships
The friends you make living in student housing is probably one of the most important reasons you should choose to live on campus. Making new friends in a new place can seem like a daunting task. Living with all of those new people for a year makes it virtually impossible to not make a lasting friendship.
It can be hard to make friends in classes at college. There is not really time to talk and some of the classes are much too big to find the person you click with. Dorms have meeting areas and opportunities to talk to one another which makes them the perfect place to find the people who you will spend the next four years with.
Student housing is the best place to meet people in college. It is the main reason most freshmen decide to live in dorms or are even required to. The best way to make new friends and get help with all your new experiences is in a dorm.
The Commute
Colleges do not have a ton of parking that is available to students. Especially not freshmen. Living in student housing usually takes away any need for a car at all since most housing is located on or near the campus.
Student housing is conveniently placed on campus so that the students can walk anywhere. Living so close to your classes is especially convenient during the winter when you do not want to walk all the way from student parking to your class. One of the biggest benefits of student housing is being in the middle of everything.
You can walk to your classes and your favorite coffee shop and probably anywhere else you need to go. Living someplace that is in the middle of where you are spending your whole life for the next four years allows you to get acquainted with the campus and also not have to drive everywhere. There is a lot to be said for living close enough to your classes to walk to them and close enough to places to eat that you barely have to leave your room.
Safety
Living in an apartment that is not owned by the school can be a lot more dangerous than student housing. Dorms almost always can only be accessed with key cards that only the students that live there possess. Individual rooms require a key to enter so only the people who live there have access to it.
There are also on-campus police that can be anywhere you need them very quickly. There are usually buttons around campus you can press if you need an officer immediately and a number you can call when you need help. Having people dedicated to protecting you that work so closely is a great way to make sure you stay safe in a new place.
There is no place that is absolutely safe but student housing works hard to be as safe as possible. Having a secure building to live in that prevents break-ins and officers at the stand by if you need help is invaluable. Feeling safe where you live is so important and student housing does their best to make sure you are safe.
To Conclude
There are a lot of reasons student housing is the right choice for incoming students. The experience alone of co-existing with people in a dorm setting is worth living in a dorm for a year. Being able to function surrounded by that many people all the time is a skill that needs to be learned before going out into the real world.
The lump in cost is just another benefit. Along with the chances to make life-long friendships that will get you through all the hard points of the next four years. Student housing gives the opportunity to get settled into a new place with people who are going through the same changes you are.
Finally, the easy commute and safety that student housing provides are a load off any student’s mind. Living someplace that close to your classes that is also as safe as they can make it lets you have peace of mind and an easy walk. Those of just five of the reasons why you should choose student housing for college.