Living on campus is possibly one of the best ways to achieve the “true college experience”. In fact, ASU expects all freshmen to live on campus.
According to ASU’s housing website, “studies show that students who live on campus transition with more ease to university life, graduate faster, and are more involved with the university than students who live off campus.”
What about life after freshman year? Most students are plagued with the decision of whether to live off campus during their second year of college.
Kaitlyn Carl, a journalism sophomore, made the decision to live in The Domain, an off-campus apartment in Tempe, with her friends after living in Taylor Place, the only dorm on the Downtown campus, for a year.
“The main reason I wanted to live off-campus is because I was on the Downtown Phoenix campus last year which is pretty dead.” said Carl. “Living in Tempe this year has allowed me to see a different side of ASU.”
Carl enjoys having a full kitchen, her own room, a pool, and cheaper parking, some of the many benefits that come with living in an off-campus apartment. She also enjoys being able to cook and live with her two best friends. However, not everyone makes the decision to move out of the dorms their second year of college.
Clarissa Tapia, a journalism sophomore, considered moving into an apartment but decided to continue living at Taylor Place instead. Tapia’s parents also did not think she was ready to leave the dorms.
“I decided to stay at Taylor Place because I needed to get to know Phoenix a little better, especially since it’s my first year with a car,” said Tapia, who plans to get an apartment her junior year.
It seems as if living off campus may be a better decision simply because you have more freedom. You don’t have to worry about community assistants and quiet hours and can live with your closest friends, regardless of gender. However, there are some downsides to living off campus as well.
“The main thing I miss about living on campus — specifically the downtown Phoenix campus — is how close the dorm was to campus.” said Carl. “I could literally wake up 10 minutes before class and make it there with three minutes to spare,”
Carl has to take the light rail 30 minutes before class in order to be on time.
So is living off campus worth it?
While it seems reasonable to live off campus after freshman year, it may also seem more beneficial to live on campus just one more year. Proximity to classes as well as campus resources is one of the main benefits of living on campus. In fact, those are the main reasons I decided to live on campus during my sophomore year.
Luckily, there are plenty of options for those who cannot stand living on campus until junior year. As long as you are willing to deal with some of the consequences of living off-campus, it will prove to be a great decision. For those of us who just choose to stick it out one more year, hopefully we can say it was worth the wait.
Walk to class with Arselia at agales@asu.edu
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