Where should a college student live?
The college experience is not only about academic performance, exams, and diplomas. In most cases, it's the first time young people will live away from home and family. Many schools and most colleges provide some student housing options, but newcomers must decide on the right one as it impacts their well-being, success, and emotional health.
You can stay in a dorm or rent an apartment off-campus. The rise of tiny homes in student living provides an alternative option for organizing your space. All variants have pros and cons, depending on your budget, character, workload, and lifestyle. While some share the room with fellow students and buy argumentative essays from AdvancedWriters to meet deadlines, others require a more private environment to focus on work.
Let's explore the benefits of different housing options for students. Is it better to live on campus, rent, or stay with parents if possible?
Housing Options for College Students: Why Bother
Many colleges invite first-year students to their campuses, and this option seems the most logical and comfortable for students. Indeed, you get easy access to all infrastructure, engage in student activities and the campus community, and don't worry about getting to and from school.
However:
College housing variants are more diverse than dorms or fraternities and sorority house. Plus, you should understand that this space goes beyond having a place to sleep and spend time between lectures. Your house impacts all spheres of your life: academic success, work-life balance, mental health, overall well-being, etc.
From on-campus dorms to off-campus rentals, housing options should fit your needs and capacities for comfortable living.
So, why is it essential to find the right college housing option, and what should you consider when choosing yours?
- It will influence your academic performance and success. (You need a good place to focus and study well, which might be challenging in noisy residence life.)
- This place will contribute to your well-being. (Do you feel comfortable and secure there?)
- Work-life balance is also here: The right place to live allows you to recharge.
- Convenience. (A housing option close to your college can save time and make all campus facilities and extracurricular activities more accessible.)
- Speaking of accessibility, by the way: Some housing options give access to libraries, fitness facilities, academic support services, and other on-campus resources. Consider that when planning your college journey.
- Do you prefer living alone or with friends? It may influence your emotional health: You can cope with college challenges better when in a supportive environment.
- Financial factors: Rent, meal plan, utilities, transportation costs — your chosen housing option can help manage these expenses.
Two core types of college housing are on-campus and off-campus options. Let's explore the variants and the pros and cons of both.
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Campus Housing
It refers to the options by your college or university on their premises.
Campus living has many benefits:
You get involved in making friends, access campus resources, feel safe and secure at the college territory, get a sense of community, and so on.
The cons are also here: limited privacy, meal plans you might not love, lack of flexibility, and, in some cases, higher costs than off-campus alternatives.
When it comes to campus housing, many aspiring students picture something they saw in movies: a tiny room with two beds, two desks, and a fridge. Okay, there's also a communal bathroom at the end of the hall. It's a traditional setup. In fact, you have several alternative housing options on campus.
Residence hall (dorms)
This one is the most prominent and popular variant when discussing on-campus housing. In fact, some colleges require students to live in the dorms during their freshman year to build a sense of community and make friends with their roommates.
As a rule, residential life is about a small room on the floor with perks like laundry facilities, Wi-fi, and a resident assistant. There will be two of you in the room equipped with twin beds, a desk and a chair, a mini fridge, closet space, and a dresser.
There's also an option to live in ensuites (a fancy term for a dorm room where you only share a bathroom with your own roommates; the previous variant was a communal bathroom for everyone on your floor).
Apartment-style dorms
While the previous dorm styles had no kitchen or living room space,
apartment-style housing is what it sounds like: an apartment but on campus and operated by your college.
Such on-campus apartments are usually for undergraduates or graduates. It has single or double private rooms, a shared bathroom, a kitchen (residence halls have dining halls instead), and a furnished living area.
Greek housing
If first-year students decide to go Greek, they might live in a frat or sorority building with their fellow brothers and sisters. This housing option differs from campus to campus but will offer more space than traditional residence halls.
The fees depend on the sorority or fraternity: meal plans, additional amenities — all details matter. So, if you want to join Greek life in your college, do your best to research the options and see if you can handle it.
Off-Campus Housing
These living options are outside the college campus and are (as a rule) more expensive yet more comfortable (private) and flexible for students. Available all year round, they offer pros like:
- More privacy (You have your bedroom, living room, and bathroom, which contributes to a more comfortable environment, especially if you enjoy silence and need it to focus while studying.)
- Independence (Off-campus housing gives you more freedom to choose arrangements that best suit your lifestyle.)
- Flexibility (You have more control over your meals, time, and out-of-college activities.)
- Cost efficiency (It depends on the location and local rental market, but off-campus college living can be more cost-effective. You can share it with friends, split the costs, and manage spending accordingly.)
- Opportunities for longer-term accommodation (You can establish a stable living place throughout your college years and create a personalized space for your comfort and sense of home.)
The cons include distance from campus resources, higher transportation fees, limited social opportunities, and responsibility for maintenance and utilities. Also, prepare for extra financial considerations beyond rent (household items, transportation, groceries, etc.).
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The top three available housing options here are as follows:
Apartments
Incoming freshmen who don't want to follow campus rules and limitations they arrange for new students might want to rent an apartment. It provides more space, freedom, and flexibility.
You can share the cost and live with your best friends there. Living alone is also great if you are okay with the price and other organizational details. Feel free to decorate it with furniture and personal touches to bring a sense of home there!
Rental apartments come in different sizes and configurations, typically include necessary amenities, and can be not far away from your university (in college towns). As a student, you might feel more independent in such housing than in on-campus living.
Houses
Shared rooms or houses are another off-campus option for students to consider. They offer a more communal living experience outside of campus; as a rule, such houses are near college campuses, offering multiple students to rent and share a single unit.
You'll have your own room but share common areas like a living room, a kitchen, etc. You may also find a house with a backyard for hanging out with friends during the summer months.
Details to consider:
- Size and layout
- Location and available amenities
- Transport and other facilities (mind your house's proximity to the campus)
- The lease agreement (understand all the terms and your responsibilities)
- Your compatibility with roommates (Communication, respect, and compromise are critical for comfortable living and emotional health. If you don't feel you can live with others, research some alternative housing options for your college life.)
Living with parents
If your living situation is that you're on a tight budget and your college is close to home, why not move back in with your parents? Sure, they aren't your 100% financial aid, and they might ask you to take extra responsibilities. Yet, you already know all the rules in their house, and you have a room there.
Study-friendly enough, do you agree?
Another option is a homestay.
You live with a local family in their house, have a bedroom there, and become a part of their life, participating in customs, traditions, and activities. It's perfect for international students, helping them adapt to new surroundings and improve their language skills.
What About Tiny Homes for Student Living
All students live in different conditions, but more and more of them move to a zero-waste lifestyle that is both sustainable and affordable. This gives rise to the micro-living trend, resulting in other students' desire for alternative housing:
Tiny homes.
The demand for tiny houses has been booming in the last few decades. People choose small quarters (less than 400 square feet), saving hundreds of dollars on rent and other spending, yet having everything for comfortable living, from electricity to plumbing.
Students support the concept and avoid dorm life for tiny homes. While it's often a financial need, they also feel comfortable with the minimalist life. Custom-made tiny houses are perfect for college students as they are eco-friendly, easy to buy, and require low maintenance costs. For many, such homes also represent a shift in values:
Moving towards experiences over material wealth. Tiny homes allow students and everyone to live intentionally and focus more on what does bring them fulfillment.
The reasons for choosing a tiny home:
- Affordability (Tiny homes require less labor and fewer materials, so they are much cheaper to build.)
- Flexibility (For example, you can place it in your parents' backyard.)
- Faster to get (Smaller sizes make tiny homes faster to build, and you can move in sooner.)
- Quality (Durable materials and efficient construction techniques are for comfortable and long-lasting living, ensuring a high-quality living experience.)
- Eco-friendliness (Such homes use fewer resources and have a smaller carbon footprint. They generate less waste, which makes them the perfect choice for conscious young people.)
- Cost-effectiveness (Your tiny home is much cheaper than buying a traditional house. Plus, you'll place it on smaller plots of land, also reducing costs that way.)
In a Word
Housing choices for students are many. Whether on-campus or outside, they serve as much more than a place to sleep and do homework. It's a space where you feel safe and comfortable and can do your best.
You have options like residence halls, apartment-style dorms, or Greek housing on campus. Off-campus living is about rental apartments, houses, or living with parents (or a local family in their home). When choosing, consider how safe your housing is, how close it is to your college infrastructure, how much it costs, and what people you'll live there with.
Tiny homes can be an excellent alternative for student living. They are cheaper, eco-friendly, and faster to get. More than that, they can provide you with the comfort and independence most students crave in college for a better work-life balance.
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