Whether you are living on campus now or thinking of going back, you know there are some serious downsides to living in university-owned housing.  Personally, I feel every student should live on campus at least one year (the first year typically works best).

Con #1: The Bad Roommate.

• ▪ If you don’t pick your roommate from high school or you do and simply don’t get along with them as well as you thought you would, you can easily wind up with a terrible roommate that you don’t get along with at all.  I had one my first year, but fortunately he was rarely around so I survived.

Con #2: Community Bathrooms

•  ▪ For those of you bearing this burden, you know the struggle is real.  I personally believe it is worse for the females than for the guys, but it certainly isn’t pleasant for anyone when you have an emergency and all the stalls are full.

Con #3: Limited Space

• ▪ Whether you’re living with a roommate or in a single room, your space is going to be limited.  Residence hall rooms are known (infamously) for being small.  You won’t have as much as space as an apartment or house would offer you, but you can make the most of it.

Pro #1: Building Community

• ▪ Especially in your first year, you won’t know many people outside of the ones you knew from high school which may not be anyone.  Living on campus with other first year students and sharing things like bathrooms and other common spaces forces you to meet new people, build your friend base and prepares you for the remaining college years to come.

Pro #2: Meal Availability

• ▪ Living on campus means you can’t really cook for yourself, but that also means you have dining courts and multiple food options on campus with you that you can use.  Your room and board should include a meal plan and get you a set amount of meals to hopefully last you throughout the year.

Full story, found at Hack College “8 Pros and Cons of Living On Campus in College.”