College Living Matters – Dormitory or Apartment?

Posted on February 19, 2016

When you head off to college, you have so many decisions to make that it can be extremely daunting. Not only do you have the which college and which course decision, but you need to think about where and how you’re going to live.

If it’s your first time living away from home, this is a make or break decision, because homesickness can certainly come into play. If it’s your first living away experience, a dormitory is a good choice, however, you should certainly think about an apartment too.

 

Of course, both have their pros and cons, so let’s examine them both together, and see what your decision may be at the end of it.

Dormitory

Pros
The main advantages of staying in a dormitory are quite obvious, in that you are surrounded by people, so it’s easy to make new friends and have a good social life, and there is usually a member of staff on hand to cover you for emergencies and teary disasters at the end of a stressful day. Basically, dormitory life is a good middle ground for anyone who has never lived away from home.

On top of this, you have cost effectiveness to consider, because a lot of the time your electric, water, and internet are free, so you don’t have to budget for your bills at the end of the month too.

Cons
You may feel as though you are under the spotlight a little in these living conditions, because your dorm room can be down for inspection at any time. This means you can’t be spontaneous to much of a degree, and your privacy isn’t going to be as much as if you lived privately. Space could also be at a premium.

Apartment

Pros
The obvious advantage of an apartment is that you have total privacy, your own space, and you can do whatever you want, within reason. You can have your friends round, you’re not subject to as many rules as you are in a dormitory, and you won’t be dropped on with a random inspection without much notice.

On top of this, you can cook for yourself, meaning you will save cash by tailoring your living expenses to your budget.

Cons
The cost is obviously going to be a little more in terms of rent and bills when you live in a private apartment, and you may find that your apartment is a little further away from campus than the dorm rooms which are on-site. City living can be more expensive than living at home, and as most large colleges and universities are in cities, this means your budgeting may have to be a little more careful.

The decision is yours at the end of the day, however it’s worth noting that some colleges do specify that newbies stay in dormitory accommodation for their first year – this isn’t the case all the time however, so do check this out first.

So, we’ve examined the pros and cons of each option, which one will you go for?