On-Campus Housing
In addition to putting similar individuals together, living on campus also puts students closer to all of their classes and frequently-used campus facilities like dining halls, the library and the gym, which helps new students get the lay of the land at their leisure and gain a better idea of where they may like to live in the years to follow. This option is also often the safest: Instead of worrying that their child is lost on the streets of a new city alone, parents of students living on campus have peace of mind that their child is close to at least one other student, faculty member or college staffer at any given time.
While most aspects of on-campus living are positive, there are some drawbacks. First is the price tag. The cost of room and board varies from college to college but it’s usually several thousands of dollars on top of what may be an already hefty tuition bill. For that kind of money, one would hope the facilities are in tip-top shape but that’s usually not the case either; though many schools – especially those with the majority of the student population living on campus – have sunk millions of dollars into upgrading residence halls to include some bells and whistles like air conditioning or a suite-style setup where each room has a private adjoining bathroom, other schools’ dorms include only the bare essentials (bed, desk, chair and bureau) and show more signs of wear and tear.
Next, roommates can also be an issue, particularly for children who have always had their own room. Adjusting to sharing a small space with a total stranger is challenging even for the most social butterfly in the bunch and disagreements can arise about the smallest of situations because of this close proximity. Also, there’s a laundry list of rules dorm dwellers must follow. We’ve all heard the saying that rules are meant to be broken but in a residence hall, a serious infraction can come with a hefty fine or a one-way ticket out of campus housing all together. Bet you can guess who’ll be the one scrambling to find them a new place to live then.