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Housing decisions: Living on campus
or off?
From the Winter 2007 Parent Newsletter
 At
the beginning of the spring semester, students who currently are
living in residence halls will make decisions about where they will
live next year. The reapplication process in the residence halls
begins in January, shortly after students return from winter break.
Residence hall living provides students with a host of benefits, such as friendships
and activities, close proximity to classes and campus services, a dining plan,
and safe housing. It also means living in a relatively small space with several
hundred other students nearby.
Apartments offer more independence than the residence hall, but they require
a greater degree of responsibility. Living off campus may mean that students
have less time for studying. Commuting takes time, students are responsible for
cooking their own meals and doing dishes, and they usually have more space to
clean and care for. Any conflicts with roommates must be resolved without the
help of a community adviser or hall director.
A popular transition for many students is selecting a single room in a traditional
residence hall or an apartment-style living space on campus. The University has
three apartment-style buildings: Yudof Hall, University Village, and Roy Wilkins
Hall. Each provides students with their own cooking facilities and more privacy
than a residence hall but still offers the support of residence hall staff and
a secure, University-owned building.
When you talk with your student about next year's housing plans, encourage her
or him to consider the benefits and drawbacks of the decision. Think about the
following questions as you talk with your student.
By the end of winter break, has your
student talked with you about remaining in the residence hall or
moving off campus?
Students should give careful consideration to their living arrangements for next
year. If a student makes a quick decision to get an apartment, or if that decision
is based on peer pressure, he or she is unlikely to take into account the responsibilities
that go along with apartment rentals.
Will your student miss the campus involvement and
social opportunities available in the residence halls?
Students usually find it much easier to meet friends, get together for social
events, and be involved with campus activities when they are living on campus.
An extra year of living in the residence halls can establish a firm connection
to other students and to campus organizations that will benefit students throughout
their remaining college years.
Is your student ready for apartment living?
Students should have provided evidence that they can take care of themselves,
as well as prioritize and make good choices in managing money, choosing friends,
balancing social and study time, achieving acceptable grades, and attending to
health and safety concerns.
They should at least have minimal cooking and cleaning skills for apartment living.
Students must consider the fact that basic housekeeping means time added to an
already busy study schedule, and they should address these issues with prospective
roommates. (When students are home for winter break, they have an opportunity
to demonstrate for you their cooking and cleaning skills.) |
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