Some schools, such as Ohio Wesleyan University, require students to sign four-year leases. However, most universities do not have this stipulation in their enrollment requirements. If you are given a choice, how do you pick the right one for your situation? Here are a few factors to contemplate when deliberating between housing options.
Size Constraints and Spaciousness
If a high-schooler is just moving out of their parent’s home for the first time, a dorm’s size might be disappointing. Unfortunately, dorms are tiny, cramped, and drab, limiting their total appeal. On the other hand, some schools are elevating students’ living experiences by upgrading the size of their facilities.
Spacious rooms are abundantly distributed in off-campus living arrangements. Most apartments utilize larger floorplans, many of which come with added walk-in closets. Furthermore, modern apartment plans often implement full-sized kitchens and adjacent dining rooms.
Cramped quarters might suffice for infantrymen, but a proper student deserves something roomier. Unless you prefer tucking your knees into your chest, an off-campus room would be more satisfying.
Overall Costs Incurred
Frugality is neglected in most curricula, despite its inherent value. Since so many students foot their educational expenses today, it may be wise to live somewhere cheap. Nevertheless, the push to live in on-campus dorms pushes the prices ever higher.
These costs accrue quickly and add to the long-term expenses, further multiplying debts. Residing in an affordable off-campus solution would be wiser in many cases. Since they do not cost as much per month, students expend fewer resources to retain their leases.
Likewise, a dorm’s included amenity list often pales compared to what is found in an apartment. From outdoor saunas to heated pools, residents can enjoy a little bit of everything at a sophisticated housing complex.
Individual Bedrooms and Privacy Enhancements
Freshmen frequently share bedrooms whenever they live in dorm rooms. Nevertheless, shared rooms are not conducive to studying for everybody. If you struggled to study when living on-campus, resituating in an off-campus apartment might improve your GPA.
Since there will be fewer distractions at home, nothing will take your attention away from what matters. Therefore, you can focus on the toughest subjects without being distracted, improving retention.
As subject difficulty intensifies, you can become a hermit and lock the bedroom door. Consequently, your flatmates cannot intrude without asking for permission to enter with a knock first.
Additional Responsibilities
Staying at an on-campus dorm means that you do not have to set up the internet, power, or water. However, you will be responsible for them in a traditional apartment. Until the deposits are paid, these vital services will remain off, preventing you from moving into the room.
In addition to utilities, you will also handle maintenance request submissions and assorted tasks. If you were part of the campus’s meal plan, you would probably need to readjust to grocery shopping. Remember to set aside sufficient time for the tasks, or your health might suffer on top of your grades.
No RA to Deal With at Home
As one of the administration’s largest investments, school dorms are frequently staffed by RAs. Resident administrators monitor student activity at home to ensure there are no shenanigans afoot. If anything amiss is detected, they will put a stop to it without hesitation.
Once you move into an apartment, those troublemakers no longer apply, opening up new possibilities. Instead of throwing parties that get interrupted, you can keep the music pumping all night long. Friendlier neighbors are another potential benefit of moving away from campus.
An Abundance of Options
Apartments in Flowery Branch, GA, are built all around the city, so you can choose the perfect location. Your apartment’s proximity to campus will factor into your commute times, so look at stuff that is nearby. Conversely, the closer a place is to campus, the more expensive it will be to stay there in most instances. Therefore, penny-pinchers may wish to spend a little more time in their cars instead of at home. Even though it is further away, the savings may be worth the added time to the daily commute.
Studious students can waste hours worrying about where they want to live. If it can satisfy most of your needs and desires, that is what matters most.
