The time has come for students living in on-campus residence halls to decide where they will live for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year, a choice which is sometimes difficult and confusing to make.
Ann Bailey, director of Housing and Residence Life, said students who are conflicted about whether to leave the residence halls or not should be aware it’s not unusual for students to live on-campus after freshman year.
“It is very common, especially if they are in a living-learning community. I lived in many types of residence halls throughout my undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees,” Bailey said.
Since Bailey lived on campus while she worked toward her degrees, she said she admits to being slightly biased toward the residence halls.
“They met my needs and provided a level of convenience that was important to me. Take advantage of the opportunity to live on campus during your college years and delay the multiple bill scene,” Bailey said.
Some advice Bailey offered to students is to sit down and weigh the pros and cons of living on and off campus.
“Look at cost, especially hidden costs that may not be readily apparent. Students have their entire lives to pay bills and keep up an apartment or house. At the end of the day, it depends on the individual, what their needs are and what they can afford,” Bailey said.
Some students, such as sophomore computer engineering major Jhona Gipson, have made the choice to make the big move off campus and into an apartment.
Gipson said she lived in Herbert Hall last year as a freshman and chose to live in the residence halls a second year as a sophomore and currently lives in Cresswell Hall.
“I wanted to move off campus after freshman year, but I just didn’t think I was quite ready to be out on my own. I wanted to be babied a little more, so I decided to go back to the dorms,” Gipson said.
Getting an apartment is something for which Gipson said she feels she is completely ready and mature enough.
“Now I’m feeling ready to be on my own. I’m ready to have my own space, my own bathroom and just be off-campus,” Gipson said.
While she is ready to move off campus, Gipson said she understands it is not for everyone and there should not be any rush to leave the residence halls.
“It just depends on the type of person. If you’re not ready to move off campus and you know it’s not for you, don’t do it. There’s no rush. The apartments will always be there. I had to stay on campus a second year, and it wasn’t a big deal,” Gipson said.
Jordan Moore, freshman undeclared major, said his experience living in South Hall has motivated him to live in the residence hall again for his sophomore year.
“I really like living in the dorms. You make more friends, and it’s more convenient to live on campus than off campus because you don’t have to drive every day, and the dorm parking is better than commuter parking,” Moore said.
Though Moore said he is personally adamant about living on campus again, he encourages students to look into whatever suits them best.
“I think you should do what works best for you. If you don’t like the rules of the dorms, then go get an apartment. But if you like the convenience and the people you live with, get a dorm,” Moore said.