As a college kid, it’s intimidating to think about housing options, especially if you’ve never lived away from home before. If you’re comparing student housing to off campus housing options, we recommend the latter. While it’s tempting to launch a search for student housing near me, consider the perks of living off campus before settling into a dormitory.
1. You Save Money Renting Off-Campus
University housing is a tempting offer, especially with the promises of provided meals, cleaning, and the proximity to your classes. However, student housing options can end up costing you way more than renting an apartment with a few roommates. Consider off campus housing options by checking out apartments nearby. When you sit down and do the math, it might surprise you to see how much you’re actually spending to live in a dorm or other student housing.
2. Freedom, Sweet Freedom
Off campus housing options don’t only save you money on rent; they also grant you a level of freedom that you don’t get within student housing. For example, if you want to show up at your apartments near school at 1:30 in the morning, you can do that. When you live on-campus, there is often a curfew and rules regarding in and out times — not to mention rules about who can and cannot enter the building.
Additionally, you can count on privacy, especially if you live by yourself. If you choose off campus housing options like looking into apartments for rent, then you are completely withdrawn from the dorm experience. If you close your bedroom door, you know this it will be closed when you return. You leave leftovers in the fridge (and it’s a FULL fridge, not a mini-fridge), they will be there later.
Finally, it’s up to you to set your schedule. While dorms don’t explicitly drag you out of bed and force you to class, there are plenty of other people around to wake you up and remind you that you have class in fifteen minutes. With off campus housing options, it’s all on you. If you want to miss your seven AM class, there is nobody to bug you about it but the snooze button on your alarm. If spending the evening in the library is your plan for the night, there is nobody telling you that it’s time to leave. For perhaps the first time in your life, you are completely in charge of yourself and your rules.
3. There Is Usually a Variety
In college towns especially, there is no shortage of off campus housing for students. Plenty of homes and apartments near college are dotted all over the city, it’s simply a matter of looking for them. Look at any apartments for students that might be located close to campus. It’s not uncommon for housing managers to offer discounts for students, or run other bonuses o entice students looking for off campus housing.
It’s also worth looking at anybody who might be offering a room, basement, or mother-in-law suite for rent. Again, people who live in college towns are well aware of the supply and demand for off campus housing options, so try and think outside the apartment. Don’t think that you’re alone in needing to rent for a little bit; in 2016 it was reported that 65% of people younger than 35 were renting homes.
Deciding to look into off campus housing options is a good idea for so many reasons. If you’re about to venture out to college, look at different place to live beyond student housing. The benefits of off-campus housing far outweigh the drawbacks.
