The college experience is a great one but can be a little challenging with respect to housing and its wide range of options. For example, many students choose to live off campus at big universities following their freshman year, while others who attend smaller schools might be in student housing or dorms all four years. I know that at Wofford, we have it pretty good but there are some general things that all colleges seem to do the same.
The housing at your prospective college will get better each year. The dorms will get bigger, nicer and easier to live in. The difference between first-year student housing and senior housing, regardless of institution, is huge. At my small college, our senior housing is essentially apartments (though our laundry is in a separate building) and our junior housing is huge dorms. If you go back to my first year, the housing was livable but far from spacious. That’s par for the course for anywhere you look (generally, though, there are smaller rooms at big universities).
There is always the option (sometimes the preferred/recommended option) of living off campus after your first year. Many of my friends have taken this option to get better rooms, more independence and, in some cases, cheaper housing. Lots of apartment complexes are still qualified as “student” housing and have primarily students that live there. And it seems that they are constantly being built as enrollment grows each year.
So whether it’s on campus or off, student housing or apartments or simple dorms, the best way to determine what works for you is to visit, tour or maybe stay at a friend’s dorm or apartment to see how it is. Small spaces were never an issue for me in freshman and sophomore dorms because I did all my work in the study building but if you’re someone that might need space to work and can focus in a dorm, you might want to look for the option with more room space. Research before you move in. Just remember that living conditions improve in college over time, though small rooms and hall settings can make for great memories!
Mike Sheffey is a junior at Wofford College double majoring in computer science and Spanish. He loves all things music and has recently taken up photography. Mike works for an on-campus sports broadcasting company as well as the music news blog PropertyOfZack.com. He hopes to use this blogging position to inform and assist others who are seeking the right college or those currently enrolled in college by providing advice on college life, both in general and specific to Wofford.
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