As a college student, one of the most important things is having a place to live. In fact, it is an essential part of everyday life, so it makes sense that a major part of the college experience is tied to where a student decides to reside. Living on campus is a great way to meet new people and potential lifelong friends, but living on campus isn’t always the best option for everyone.
Some students view on-campus living as essential, as previously mentioned, but there are some students who disagree with this sentiment.
Rowan student Liz Baginski, senior, music industry major, lives off campus in the local Mullica Hill neighborhood and chose not to have an on-campus living arrangement due to her feeling like she can control the space better if she were in an off-campus apartment.
“I like customizing my space; it takes away the stress of moving everything out and back over the summer, which brings me to my next point: it allows me to be a year-long resident,” said Baginski.
Baginski also shared how even though she does live off campus, her college experience wasn’t hindered in the slightest, and she has more control over her transition to adulthood.
“I love living here throughout the summers, and it really helped me to grow more into my adult life and routine outside of class,” said Baginski.
Others, such as Bridget Fellona, a junior psychology major who lives in the Washington Township area thinks that their off-campus arrangements are very convenient in relation to distance from the campus and don’t see the reason to move into an on-campus dorm.
“I live really close by, and I don’t mind living [off campus] personally, and I just haven’t heard great things about housing, so I’d rather stay in the comforts of my own home,” said Fellona.
Fellona also shared that she isn’t against the idea of on-campus housing, but it just doesn’t fully align with her personal boundaries.
“It depends on where you go, because some places [on campus] are so much worse. They don’t have heating, and I don’t know if I would just be comfortable with that … I’m not a germaphobe, but I do have boundaries, like if it looks gross, I’m not going in,” said Fellona.
Trishelle Bonnelly, a sophomore radio, TV, & film major, has a different feeling about her off-campus residence. She shared that she doesn’t feel the need to leave her place yet and be with people she actually likes.
“I get very homesick, so I don’t want to leave my place yet … I feel like an apartment is better because you actually get to be with people that you like, unlike a more random dorm. I know that you can choose, but sometimes you don’t know that much people,” said Bonnelly.
Living arrangements on a college campus will never stop being a hot topic of conversation. It’s great that colleges actually take the time to make sure that students are housed, but alternative options are still readily available. Whether the reason for choosing to live off the campus premises is in relation to financial struggles or personal choice, there are still a plethora of options for students to decide what they would like to do with their living arrangements.
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