should I finally move on campus?

[Konfetkette]

I am going to be a junior in college in the fall. I live 20 minutes away from the campus without traffic... 30 or 40 min with traffic, plus finding a parking spot might come to total of 50 minutes. I leave my house an hour before the class.

 

 

I want to move on campus but it costs like $2,500 plus a forced meal plan, which is like $1,300. I have a loan for my education, and even does only covers about 65% of my tuition.

I want to get a real college experience but I wonder if it's worth it the almost $3,000 per semester. I know I will be left wondering "what if..." when I graduate.

I was thinking of giving it a try for a semester maybe...

 

It is impossible to meet people when you live off campus. Yeah sure you talk in class but it never goes beyond that.

 

Another thing I am worried about is my grades dropping, and I am not one of those who can cram before the test and get an A. I have to study intensely to get an A.

 

Any thoughts? :S

[definitely_maybe]

my commute is a little shorter than yours, but i don't really regret my decision to stay off campus. You are paying a lot for school. Do you want to pay more to get distracted from the reason why you are really there in the first place?

 

Of course, most of us crave social attention, and being off campus definitely does isolate you. As you mention, your "friendships" rarely extend beyond the classroom, but with some work, it can happen.

 

Yes, sometimes i feel a lonely, but since i'd rather deal with that than the added expenses.

[Cognitive_Canine]

Well, I'd say that the college experience is worth it. Not to mention, when you add up the cost of gas, the food that you would normally eat, it wouldn't be as bad. Also, you can become an RA later and get your rooming for free.

 

I've made a ton of friends in college and just having the freedom from your parents is worth it.

 

As far as grades, the library is unbelievably helpful. I spend a good 2 hours a day there. Free coffee, great environment, free printing and computer use. As long as you can adapt to the environment and still be disciplined, you'll do fine.

[definitely_maybe]

Well, I'd say that the college experience is worth it. Not to mention, when you add up the cost of gas, the food that you would normally eat, it wouldn't be as bad. Also, you can become an RA later and get your rooming for free.

 

I've made a ton of friends in college and just having the freedom from your parents is worth it.

 

As far as grades, the library is unbelievably helpful. I spend a good 2 hours a day there. Free coffee, great environment, free printing and computer use. As long as you can adapt to the environment and still be disciplined, you'll do fine.

 

You're right in the sense that with some responsibility, your grades may not suffer. My university libraries are very good, and i spend a lot of time there myself.

 

Everybody is different socially. Personally, i have not had an awful lot of really close friend throughout my life, and i am not sure how much living on campus would actually change that for me. Undoubtedly, i would spend more time with friends outside of classes, but again, i feel that the price tag for that is too high.

[Mandoro]

Well, I too will bea junior in the fall. I lived on campus my first semster. It was great, I met all the friends I have now because of living there. Its real easy to make friends living in a dorm. Now the reason I moved off is because I wanted my king size bed(becuase Im 6'8 and I also wanted a kitchen and a fridge, oh how I wanted a normal sized fridge.

 

Anywho, enough about me this is your post. What you can try is the folowing:

1. Find the total cost difference in living on/off campus

2. Make a list of advantages and disadvantages for both and then YOU have to make the decision on whether or not the extra cost with either one is worth it. Neither choice is a bad choice its just all preference.

 

Reflecting on the above in my decision: I am a more independent person, I don't really care to know too many people it doesn't hurt me one bit. Living on campus was more expensive. I live 5 minutes away from campus, I actually walk to campus some days (when Im not lazy lol). I wanted my king size bed so from knee-down didn't hang off the bed! Also, the fridge lol.

 

Anywho, thats about all I can think of. You have to weigh those options and see if that social life you are after is really worth the extra cost(if there is one).

[Konfetkette]

Well I don't pay for my food and gas. My parents do. Yeah it sounds bad but what am I going to get my own fridge while living with them? LOL. But I do feel like I'm in high school, living at home and commuting to school. So really I am pnot paying a cent for my living, but I will have to pay all of it in a dorm... I'm willing to do that.

I lived in another state for 8 months where I had to pay for everything myself. I never had enough money, but the fact that I had to do it myself felt great.

 

I also wonder... if all those juniors have made friends since they were freshmen and won't accept "new people" in. What do you think? I'd suck to live in a dorm and not get invited anywhere.

[Mandoro]

Im sorry, I didn't know you lived with your parents. I thought you currently rented out and apartment.

[Entropy Smith]

Its soooooooooooooooooooooooooo worth it. Part of the college experience is the social experience. And its not just parties. Its learning how to interact with different people in different situations...the upside is so tremendous and you'll have a huge advantage over those who just studied and went home once you hit the real world not to mention contacts that can help in many ways for many years ot come.

 

Edit: Cliques are formed but every college gets transfer students and loses students due to all sorts of reasons every semester so the dynamic is always changing. Don't be too fast to cling somewhere, but you'll see making friends will happen naturally thru classses and living together. I understand your fear but you sound like your ready to take the chance so do it.

[CaptainPlanet]

@ 3000 per term I'd say no it isn't worth it.

[CaptainPlanet]

if ur only 20 minutes away living on campus would be slightly ridiculous in my opinion just head down and get ur degree.

[Konfetkette]

Hmm I think I will go with the majority.

 

I know that if I don't do it, I will be left wondering "what if..." for many years to come. I will probably try it for a semester and see how I like it. I think even if I hate the experience, throwing away $3,000 is better than be left with that "what if" thought.. You can't go back in time but you can always postpone a few purchases or something and pay off those $3,000 instead, eh?

 

CaptainPlanet, 20 minutes from campus when there is no traffic....which rarely happens. I had that happen with my 7:30 am class when it was supposed to snow and schools and everything else but my uni got a delayed opening. My schedules tend to corresponds with rush hour, which is pretty bad in this area.

[Superfreak]

I think it's a good idea to try it out for a semester. In the grand scheme of things $3000 is nothing (and actually, even in terms of university residence costs, $3000 is nothing, I wish they were that cheap here!).

[CaptainPlanet]

A very large part of me is saying that if you attend with the intention of socialising that is what you will do, you haven't got your sights set on where you need to be, you're focused on something else - making friends.

 

This isn't really my advice to you but I was told this by a very successful person that I am sort of friends with. The statement was in reference to a particular youth group with professional affiliations a memeber put in a lot of effort organising parties and social events. The person said that she would never get anywhere becauser she was not focued on her goal, she had her sights set on something else. She was not using the society to advance her career, meeting the right people and all of that. She was organising parties.

[definitely_maybe]

I think it's a good idea to try it out for a semester. In the grand scheme of things $3000 is nothing (and actually, even in terms of university residence costs, $3000 is nothing, I wish they were that cheap here!).

 

For $3000, i would rather have a new mountain bike. That would last a lot longer than a semester of school.

[renaissancewoman101]

My brother lived only 30 minutes from college (my dad's a prof at the college), and my brother ended up living in the dorms for two years because he wanted to experience what life was like on campus.

[Konfetkette]

A very large part of me is saying that if you attend with the intention of socialising that is what you will do, you haven't got your sights set on where you need to be, you're focused on something else - making friends.

 

This isn't really my advice to you but I was told this by a very successful person that I am sort of friends with. The statement was in reference to a particular youth group with professional affiliations a memeber put in a lot of effort organising parties and social events. The person said that she would never get anywhere becauser she was not focued on her goal, she had her sights set on something else. She was not using the society to advance her career, meeting the right people and all of that. She was organising parties.

 

I'm sorry but I think I have my sights set, thanks. Have you tried living without friends? Well, it's not fun... and even good grades and a great major won't make you happy if you're alone.

[renaissancewoman101]

I'm sorry but I think I have my sights set, thanks. Have you tried living without friends? Well, it's not fun... and even good grades and a great major won't make you happy if you're alone.

 

That's very true.

 

Go enjoy campus life on college. You only get one chance to live at life. Live it to the fullest.

[Blackhawk2009]

ok i will give u my opinion coming from someone who just started living at school this semester and i am a sophomore.

 

i used to commute a 40 min drive to school...thats if there wasn't traffic on lovely 24, for my 1st year and 1 semester of sophomore year and i agree it does stink. I only met a few kids, thankfully last semester my friend from highschool lives on campus and i met some kids through him but i always felt out of place.

 

Now i do have this one problem though, meeting people who all seem to be friends with each other already. I live on a floor in a section where everyone knows each other already from the last semester, eventually i came to know a couple of them but im still working on it. So yea it is hard to meet people when you are not a freshman but if u go to a couple of parties on a saturday or thursday you will eventually meet people.

 

Oddly enough i spent almost exactly the same amount as you for the housing and forced meal plan

[definitely_maybe]

I'm sorry but I think I have my sights set, thanks. Have you tried living without friends? Well, it's not fun... and even good grades and a great major won't make you happy if you're alone.

 

Well then, all the best. I hope you find what you are looking for on campus.

[CaptainPlanet]

I'm sorry but I think I have my sights set, thanks. Have you tried living without friends? Well, it's not fun... and even good grades and a great major won't make you happy if you're alone.

 

Yes I have except with an abusive family, no college and a terrible job doing graveyard shifts at a petrol station.

[CaptainPlanet]

I don't want to rain on your parade too much but in todays day and age the point of college is to get a 4.0 GPA so that you can get an interview with the biggest and best company out there. Those grades you get in college will dictate what opportunities you will get and possibly where you could end up in life.

 

A person living 20 minutes away from University who is spending a large amount of money living on campus is clearly for atleast some part in the frame of mind that is not completely focused on getting that GPA. Considering you cannot make friends now you may be lacking in social skills - meaning that GPA will be all the more important.

 

Yes, other factors do count, but I can tell you that the GPA will often be decisive.

 

You think it is hard to make friends now ? Imagine what it would be like if you end up without a decent job after college. I know that a lot of the big companies go to a reasonable amount of effort to ensure that their employees aren't lonely or unhappy. From a few sources who have gone down that route, life is actually very, very sociable. From my point of view, in a retail environment I still have the same boring friends. People working nights, in non professional service related jobs are documented as being the loneliest people.

 

There is a bar underneath E & Y in melbourne. If I were you I would put friendships aside and focus on making friends in that bar or a place like it in a few years time.

 

IF you are intent on moving on campus though I cannot advise against it strongly enough please ensure that your grades are your primary focus. Being 20 can be difficult, but you will not be that age forever and it is going to be a lot easier being 25 if you get through college the first time and achieve stellar grades.