Off-campus apartments have become students new home-away from home. They offer the opportunity to have more freedom and less worries about lockout fines, noise complaints, and shared bathrooms.
Living on-campus has been a key contributor to the college experience. But students in recent years are seemingly wanting to have their own space during their collegiate years.
Students who live off-campus are able to take advantage of their living spaces in a variety of ways.
Thalia Hall, a fourth-year biology pre-medicine student, said her favorite aspects of living off-campus are not worrying about noise complaints, among other things.
“I play music almost everyday, so not having to look out for complaints by a roommate or RA is very beneficial for me,” Hall said. “Having a balcony is another aspect, because I’m a plant mom, so it brings me joy seeing my plants grow in its own space.”
Madison Devoux, a second-year mechanical engineering student, said that living off-campus was a cheaper option for her.
“Some advantages of living off-campus was that it was cheaper in my case,” Devoux said. “I was able to use the money I was using for my meal plan and housing and put it towards rent and still get a refund.”
While on-campus living has benefits of its own, students have multiple reasons why they decided on living off-campus.
Frantzleah Jeanty, a fourth-year criminal justice student, said living on-campus was never a thought.
“I was a transfer student and honestly never thought to live on-campus,” Jeanty said.
Devoux said moving off-campus initially was not in her plan.
“I decided to move off-campus because I registered for housing too late sadly. But it has been an amazing experience so far,” Devoux said.
Hall’s reasons for making the transition to off-campus living stemmed from her love of cooking.
“I decided to move off-campus because I needed to grow,” Hall said. “I love to cook so honestly having my own kitchen and balcony pushed me to get my own place. But I definitely appreciated meeting everyone I met during my freshmen year, because I wouldn’t have made those memories without them.”
Although living off-campus has provided students with a space they get to call their own and much more privacy, there still are disadvantages to living off-campus. Such as feeling out of the loop from on-campus activities, dining rituals, and also dealing with traffic and parking issues.
“I definitely miss fried chicken Wednesday, and it’s hard to drive back to campus once you have gotten home from a class,” Devoux said.
“One thing I can say that I miss was being on campus, and being close to everyone and events that would happen in the moment,” Hall said.