Roommate Drama

Tons of people, including many of my high school friends, are so anxious to be independent that they decide to live in an apartment, condo or house starting their freshman year of college. Though I am biased to the alternative, I have many legitimate reasons:

1. To meet new people and make new friends. All the action is on campus. If you aren’t living on campus, you will miss it. You may have action of your own, but the opportunity to meet new, random people decreases when living in an apartment complex, house or condo. In comparison, living in a dorm residency with 600 other freshman creates many opportunities for craziness.

2. Convenience. Typical colleges place their freshmen in the dead center of campus (because they are freshmen). Thus, your walk to class could take 5-15 minutes instead of 20-45 minutes! This alone is a big enough reason to heavily weigh living on campus!

3. The “college experience.” There is something called the “college experience.” This is really hard to explain, but without living on campus, you miss out on this part of college. A typical college student goes through living in an old, dusty, dirty dorm room. The typical college student shares a bathroom with 12 other people. The typical college student has a room only big enough for 2 beds, 2 desks, 2 chairs and 2 sets of drawers. This all makes your freshman year….trust me.

4. Closer to the food. Since you’re most likely to be in the middle of campus, you are also most likely right by the cafeteria or food court or source of food that you are probably also, most likely, having to pay for with your tuition. Living on campus makes eating easy J During late night paper writing, finals or party, this comes in REAL handy! You get hungry ya know?!

5. Don’t have to pay bills. This is something most college freshmen don’t even know exist; HOWEVER, when you are in an apartment, house or condo, you will have to pay for gas, electric, water, cable, internet and phone. This can make life somewhat more complicated. Why deal with this your freshman year? Your first year is strictly for adjustment and fun! Leave the bills to sophomore, junior or even senior year.

Don’t get me wrong. You should DEFINITELY live off campus before you graduate. I like to think it is suppose to all be baby steps into the “real world.” Live on campus, no bills or financial responsibility. Live off campus, no financial responsibility but a little more conscientiousness about life. Graduate. Be prepared for what is to come! Don’t make yourself grow up toooooooo fast J And enjoy participating in the typical “college experience.”

J