Whether it’s your first year heading off to school, or you’re finally starting the final year to finish up your degree, where you live can have a huge impact on how you’ll remember your college experience.
For some, a great living situation can make for a more enjoyable experience during college. For others, not being able to find the right home can make it difficult to concentrate on your studies and get the grades you want.
And in view of how much college costs, you want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to get the most out of it. Here are some ideas for finding the perfect living situation while in college.
Consider living in the dorms beyond your freshman year
Most freshmen live in the dorms because it’s mandatory. However, many upper-class students opt for dorm living throughout college, because of all the benefits it confers. Sure, it may cost a bit more, but it comes with plenty of advantages.
For one, you’ll be close to your classes so you won’t have to pay for a car or public transit. Plus you’ll have all of the school amenities, such as the gym and library, nearby as well.
And considering most dorms also feature meal plans, that frees you from having to cook for yourself.
Living on your own allows you to relax and study in peace
If you simply don’t enjoy sharing a space with roommates, living on your own is a viable option if you can afford it. This arrangement gives you the opportunity to minimize distractions while studying, but it also means you can have people over for study groups and social events when you want to.
There are plenty of benefits to living alone in college. If you can afford it, it might be the best option to go.
Living with roommates can be the best financial route
Most upperclassmen usually opt to live with roommates. For many students, roommates can save you tons of money, which of course will go into your education and not more wild nights out. But more than that, having roommates also enables you to expand your search criteria for what you’re looking for in a home.
The more roommates you have, the better places you can look for. Having roommates also means you can live in a more safe community, which will probably make your parents happy while you;re away at school.
Living with roommates can be a challenge when there are clashing personalities. But if you have people you really get along with, it can be a really excellent financial decision, as well as a lot of fun.
There are plenty of options for living when you move away to college. While everyone will have different expectation of what they need to experience from the situation, the options listed above will help you adjust to the college lifestyle better so that you can focus on your studies.