Each year, parents and students alike often worry about the extremely high costs attached to funding a high-quality education from top-notch and respected colleges and universities. From tuition fees to miscellaneous fees, budgeting is crucial to save money, and secure student future. A part of the miscellaneous fee is the living expenses of a college student, who can be given the choice of staying in campus or commuting at home. Some students opt to stay in the campus residences because they believe that it is much cheaper than commuting back home. For international students, this has been their only option to reduce additional expenses. Others believe that going home would be cheaper than staying in the campus dormitories or residences. However, considering the location of the university or college of choice, and the nature of the student’s residency status; both staying in a campus and going home each day can present its benefits to students with a particular need.
In several top-notch and exclusive universities and colleges; college residences or dormitories are being offered for students to enable them to maximize their college life. Most of these residences are located inside the campus or near the campus premises, enabling students to enter their classes easily and prevent tardiness. A benefit of campus residency is the freedom to decide on their own, something students cannot do while at home. Staying at home may provide luxuries and a sense of protection and privacy; however, living alone in campus residences would provide students the freedom to decide how they would balance their life. College life is known to hone student’s sense of independence, a requirement in surviving the harsh world of corporate affairs and employment. Parents could only provide college students a sense of freedom while they stay at home, but staying in campus residences, students can decide for themselves and learn the basics in surviving on their own two feet. Students can break away from having someone watch your every movement and nagging at every flaw the student does while at home. With college residences, students become the boss of their own life. For many students, living in college residences would add both life and college-life experiences, something not easily achieved at home .
One of the major disadvantages students see in campus residencies and dorms is the cost. Due to the varying living expenses in most campus states, campus residences and dorms normally have to compete in the market to gain student boarders. However, the prices would also have to sustain the maintenance of the residency thus its not-so affordable cost. Most on-campus options also vary in house residency fees around the campus, especially if the said residency is new and more desirable than the others. Several students had stated in some studies that they had to move out of campus residences because of the increasing fees of staying in campus residences. Even if there are promos in some residences, such as offering kitchen attachments in each room, it still costs the student to be dislocated from the general student body who would eat in school cafeterias or in the residential dining hall. There are also cases that with the prices of campus residences and dorms, some students find it hard to consolidate their financial aid, leaving some out of money to buy other important effects .
There is also the risk of staying in college dormitories and residences are the risk in the neighbourhood of the campus and the influence of other students. Students who often work in school at nights have a high rate of being victimized by criminals when going home in their residences. Most of the school-related crimes for student boarders range from theft, rape, or murder. Stalking is also prominent for college women as they might catch the attention of several male students who would follow them into their residences and commit the crime. Female students who also live in campus have the higher risk to become victim to sexual crimes, especially if they are in a co-ed dormitory or residence. It is advisable that on-campus residences protect students from all forms of criminal victimization since student boarders would know each other and can easily identify who does not live in the campus residences. In some cases where campus residences are not in-campus but on its outskirts, there is a high case of risk for students, especially if the neighbourhood is social disorganized. Once students are out of their apartments, they would leave possessions that may catch the attention of thieves. There are also some students who opt to switch rooms each year, putting them in an unguarded stance with a new roommate and location.
Fellow student boarders, on the other hand, can impose several risks for some students. Students who often switch rooms may find themselves with a room-mate that would sneak in a petty crime while the student is out of the room, stealing items with high value. Some would even act out innocently, but once the student has given his full trust to his roommate, the room-mate may take the chance to commit the act against the other. Roommates can also influence the student in trying out various activities students cannot normally do while staying at home: alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, and other related vices. Alcohol, drugs and joining gangs are the top vices college students are reported to take, especially if they are far away from their family. Alcohol and drugs are seen as an initiation requirement for students to prove that they are really adults, and once students taste alcohol, they may not be able to stop consuming it with their roommates. Partying is also another influence room-mates can get from each other, which is considered another vice that can disrupt a student’s studying habit and his health. Since alcohol and drugs are offered in clubs, there is a possibility students would become addicted to the substance and forget their academic duties. Some roommates may also entice laziness and tardiness for some students as college residences and dormitories have limited installations of bathrooms and internet portals for student boarders to share .
Infectious diseases and accidents are also a disadvantage in living in college dormitories and residences. Freshmen living in dormitories have a higher risk of contracting common illnesses such as flu, colds, fever, meningitis, and mononucleosis. This is due to their interaction with other student boarders, and living with a room-mate. In some reports, almost 100 meningitis cases are reported each year from college residences. Death tolls also increase each year because of infectious diseases acquired due to living with other students. In the United States, the American College Health Association, with the support of the US Federal government; entices students to undergo check-up and vaccination to protect them from diseases. Health insurances are also given out by the university should any event of medical ailment befall on the student. Accidents, on the other hand, is also a number one risk for students living in the campus, especially those with automobiles. The major contributor to student-related accidents is alcohol, as victims are often under the influence and sober. Accidents in the college dorm or residences are also a possibility as there are some students who disregard basic precautions that could otherwise protect them from harm. There are also some college dorms and residences with malfunctioning or absent fire safety plans in case of fires .
For other students, especially those with homes located near the campus, they opt to stay at home and commute to the campus. Normally students who choose this living arrangement prefer it than campus residences, because of various factors such as health, protection, and a sense of privacy. For low-income students who live in the area, going home would entitle them to lesser living expenses. Parents normally allow their children to stay at home if it would help them save money as some campus residences are expensive. Students preferring this method would also need to know how much travel cost it would take commuting to the campus and commuting back to their home. Normally, travel companies like trains and buses offer discounts for students, or week passes to save fare expenses. Many also prefer living at home to escape the influences of college friends, resulting to addiction and crimes. Staying at home would also enable students to access freely the electronic databases and online study groups without relying on the campus computer room or computer cafes. Having access to online databases and group sites is a major requirement in some courses.
One of the disadvantages of living at home is students would be entitled to lower student loans as most student loan grants include living expenses in its computation. Most student loans and financial grants often allot a large sum for living expenses, taking into account the selected university campus the student desires to enter. If a student opts to stay at home, the companies or organizations giving out the scholarship or financial assistance would reduce the money the student can receive; which could be used for other expenses. Another notable disadvantage is the duration of the travelling time from school to home and vice-versa. Since most students would take public transportation to go to school, there are possibilities of traffic jams, accidents, and transportation malfunction which may cause problems for students. This problem also goes the same with students possessing their own cars .
Depending on a student’s need and situation, staying either at home or at campus residences or dorms prove several merits that must be taken into account. For international students or students from other states, campus residences and dorms are convenient. For students who live in commutable distances to their campuses, they opt to live at home. Considering the benefits and disadvantages of both options, most students opt to select living in dormitories and residences to live out fully their college experience. It is undeniable that there are risks involving college dormitory living, however, the benefits for students in experiencing a glimpse of real life and learning to stand up in their own feet is crucial if a student wishes to be successful in real life. Although staying at home can provide its merits and students opting to select this living option can also learn how to become independent, the restrictions at home would cause students to suppress their independent nature once they return home from school. Nevertheless, it is still important to consider that the student takes into account his financial situation, location, and the nature of the campus neighbourhood before deciding where to stay.
Works Cited
Boehm, Klaus and Jenny Lees-Spalding. Student Book. Richmond: Trotman Publishing, 2007. Print.
Ferretti, Chris. The College Files: Written for a College Student by a College Student. Lincoln: iUniverse, 2003. Print.
Fisher, Bonnie and John Sloan. Campus Crime: Legal, Social, and Policy Perspectives. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas Publishers, 2007. Print.
Kezar, Adrianna. Recognizing and Serving Low-Income Students in Higher Education: An Examination of Institutional Practices, Policies and Culture. New York: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Rooney, John, John Reardon and Katherine Will. Preparing for College: Practical Advice for Students and their Families. New York: Ferguson, 2009. Print.
