By Katie Schleiss
Junior Alyssa Zemenak moved out of the dorms after her freshman year and has lived off campus since. For her, the primary reason for moving off campus was to be with all of her friends. They were all moving off campus and she didn't want to be by herself. Living off campus was a lot cheaper, according to Zemenak.
For many students, the cost of living on campus is more expensive than living off campus. When faced with an opportunity to spend less money and have more freedom, many choose to move off campus. But, does paying less money off campus make up for more commuting and preparing meals?
Besides preparing for exams and recovering from spring break, now is also the time students think about housing for next year. The decision is not always easy, and opinions vary about which is better - on or off campus. As students make plans, they have many factors to weigh, including cost, proximity to class, roommate problems and rules.
The cost of living off campus is cheaper, according to Residence Life Director Michael Walsh, but there are benefits for living on campus as well. "Students only save between a little bit to a medium amount of money living off campus," Walsh said. "The stress of paying bills, cooking, and cleaning add up."
Walsh said that when students live on campus, there are more intangible benefits like decreased time commuting to classes, less loneliness, the opportunity to make close friendships and the physical location of being on campus. Rent for a house close to campus varies, but the average is $400 to $450 per person. That's about half the cost of room and board on campus, not including the additional costs of utilities and food.
Zemenak pays about $300 a month for rent and utilities, saving a couple thousand dollars a year. Her house is only a block or two away from campus, so commuting isn't an inconvenience.
"I really like having my own house and bathroom and being able to come and go as I please," Zemenak said. "It's a lot less restricted than living in the dorms and I enjoy the freedom and not having to report to anyone the most."
But rent might not stay cheaper than off-campus housing for long. Walsh blamed the poor economy for increases in rent off campus. People are losing their homes and the demand for renting is going up. It's possible to spend more money living on campus, but Walsh said that a frugal student living off campus saves about the cost of a latte a day.
"When students live a mile, or even half a mile away, they can't just roll out of bed and head to class like students who live on campus," Walsh said. "You can't put a dollar amount on that kind of convenience."
Although Walsh said that the cost of food is also cheaper off campus, it's easier to get adequate nutrition from the food on campus. When professionals are making the food, students don't realize how much effort it is to plan a balanced diet, Walsh said. This is especially important for students who can't cook. "It's prepared for you and it's convenient," Walsh said. "You don't even have to do the dishes."
Intervisitation is the biggest reported reason that students want to live off campus, as well as having more privacy. But, the reality is that there is more space on campus. The new dorms mean that students who want private rooms can now get them. Walsh said that anyone who wants to live on campus now could.
While living off campus means not having to follow dorm policies like intervisitation, there are added consequences. Walsh said that most of the students here are law-abiding and wouldn't notice the legal consequences for living off campus. However, the consequences for breaking the law off campus are much harsher.
"While you might get in trouble here, landlords can evict you," Walsh said. "Students find out the hard way that they can't escape standards."
Getting in trouble on campus involves educational and pastoral reprimands, but Walsh said that the people here care about the students. "Punitive action from the police is harsher because they don't care about the students in the same way that we do," Walsh said.
Zemenak still thinks that students need to live on campus, if only for one year. "I would recommend living on campus as well," Zemenak said. "I wouldn't appreciate my freedom living off campus if I hadn't spent time in the dorms." She said that the dorms offer a true college experience, but off-campus housing is important for transitioning into adult life.
Sophomore Kim Mow lives on campus and chooses to do so because she likes living in a close community and being able to get to know people. She also enjoys the convenience of being close to her classes. "A lot of my friends stay in the dorms and I like being able to stay in my room between classes and not have to walk far," Mow said.
Mow said that she doesn't feel like the dorms rules are too restrictive and that she can understand why the rules in the dorms are in place. "The only problem that I have with my dorm, Kenna Hall, is that there's no kitchen," Mow said.
Mow said that she is planning to move off campus because it saves money, but she thinks that living on campus for her first two years was a good experience because it allowed her to gain a good social group.
"I would recommend living on campus for freshmen because I feel like it's easier to make friends when you see them everyday," Mow said. "With commuting or living off campus, you don't have that convenience, and it's kind of a maturing process."
Walsh said that most students realize that they don't have the time to take care of all of the demands and responsibilities of living off campus. "They fall under the lure of living like a grownup," Walsh said.
The University really stresses the on-campus experience because they feel that it's valuable, according to Walsh.
"You have your whole life to live off campus, why rush it?" Walsh said.
