“Where am I gonna live?”
It’s probably the most important, yet most difficult parts of college life.. Most campuses have plenty of dorms as well as off-campus housing, but both options have multiple pros and cons. Dorms are the more traditional route, but apartments tend to have more appeal.
Where should YOU live? Let’s explore the factors.
$$$
Dorms:
- BSU Room and Board for one year comes out to $10,367.
- No matter what building you’re assigned to, all the rooms go for the same rate.
- Simple, basic rooms- nothing fancy.
- Financial aid is available, but you have to borrow a lot more money.
- The average cost of an off-campus apartment in the Bridgewater area is about $700, therefore, the cost of renting a place for one academic year (roughly 8 months) is only $5,600.
- Depending on where you live, your rent can vary.
- You have to factor in gas, food, and other basic living expenses.
- Surprisingly, financial aid is available for off-campus housing as well.
Space
Dorms are crowed and loud. Unless you are an RA, you’re going to be sharing a room which can be a lot of fun if you like your roommates, but if not, have a nice semester stuck in a box with someone you don’t like. In an apartment setting, while roommates help pay bills, they aren’t required. If you want a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen to yourself (I wish), go for it. Not to mention, apartments house all kinds of people- not just college kids.
So, if you like your space and quite time, an apartment might make more sense for your living arrangement. Then again, dorms provide a larger community, and if you’re someone who is very involved on campus and loves being around lots of people, dorms might suit you just fine. This category really comes down to your personality and what you are looking for.
Location
Dorms are, of course, on campus. Apartments (technically) are not. If you need to be in class at 8am it will help to cut down on the commute and the daily battle for parking spots. Obviously, dorms seem like the best bet to save time, money, and stress. Then again, if you wanted to stay in the nearby Waterford or Kingswood apartment complexes, you’re just as far as the residents are from school buildings. So, depending on how much traveling you want to do that could greatly influence your decision. This ones a toss up, basically which ever choice is closest to were you need to be is gonna be your best choice.
Do you live in a dorm? Apartment? Had the experience of both? Which do you prefer?
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