Campus housing is often the nicest, more affordable, and more holistically beneficial option for college students—especially freshmen who already have a lot of adjustments to make. Here are five reasons you should seriously consider living in campus housing.
1. It’s Close
Sure, you may not want to get too used to having everything you need within easy walking distance, but when you first show up to campus, it’s important to minimize additional stress. Being relaxed and open to new opportunities can help you focus on mastering study habits, scheduling, and making friends.
Whether you miss your alarm and oversleep or didn’t realize that picking two classes with only five minutes between them was a little ambitious, living in campus housing can make pulling off miracles a whole lot easier. The same goes for doing laundry, eating at dining halls, and securing prime seats for special events.
2. You’ll Know Your Neighbors
One of the best things about living on campus is that you’re guaranteed to know at least one thing about your neighbors, since they’re also students in a similar position as you. Instead of always wondering whether that apartment three doors down is full of college students or not, you’ll know that your next-door neighbor (and everyone down the hall) is also a student at your university—and is likely studying for the same test, heading to the same event, or on a similar meal plan.
This means making friends and finding someone to study with is a lot easier. Many people’s favorite, lifelong friendships start when they’re roommates or dorm neighbors. There’s really no other time in life that you’ll get to live down the hall from all your friends; and for every minor inconvenience you may perceive, you’ll have dozens of fond memories that make up for it.
3. Rules Are Made to Be Helpful
Some students might dread the idea of following the rules associated with on-campus housing. But the truth is, those rules make succeeding in college easier—and they come with plenty of benefits, too.
Dealing with a resident advisor is much better than dealing with the police. But rather than thinking about that, think about this: when you accidentally lock yourself out of your room (not if, when), you can text your RA to let you back in. When you lock yourself out of an off-campus apartment or house, you’ll be calling a locksmith and paying for their services.
If you ever find yourself sick or feeling far away from home, it’s awfully nice having peers as neighbors, RAs who care about you, and a medical center right on campus. The difference between getting the flu during finals week while living on- or off-campus is a big one, especially if it’s your first semester of college.
4. There’s Stuff You Don’t Want to Think About
Furniture, utility bills, internet connectivity, yearlong leases; these are just a few considerations that will become part of your life soon enough. Trust us on this one, having a safe and comfortable place to live—without needing to worry about all of the small (yet critical) logistics—is a true gift. Instead of obsessing over paying your internet bill on time, campus housing lets you focus on living.
5. It Becomes Home, Sweet Home
The convenience, cost, and peace-of-mind that living in college-sanctioned housing offers is hard to beat. Aside from living in your parents’ house growing up, there are precious few other times in life when you’ll be free to spend so much of your time and energy on things other than simply keeping the house organized and bills paid.
Every step in life comes with more freedom, but also a lot more responsibility. And that’s not just some annoying cliché. Take it from experienced students who never thought they’d sincerely miss their old dorms. Home is wherever you make it.
Interested in the campus housing at Azusa Pacific? Visit the Office of Residence Life to learn more about available housing and the residential experience.