Is living off-campus the right decision for you?
Some students have a strong
preference when faced with the
choice of living in residence, at
home or off campus. For others,
the decision is much more difficult.
Sure, living at home may save a lot of money, but you won't gain any independence this way. Do you want to be depending on your parents until you're in your 20s?
Post-secondary education is a chance to become the person you've always wanted to be. You can't grow and change as an individual if you continue depending on your family to take care of you. If you live at home, you will miss out on the “college experience” and you might even miss the chance to meet a lot of new people.
Living in residence or off campus provides that room to grow and the experience you need to gain independence. Living in rez can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot to handle. You don't have control over your surroundings or the people you'll be living with. Maybe you don't like the furniture residence provides, but you can't take it out of your room. Maybe you planned on studying all night, but there's a party going on next door, and it's breaking your focus. If you live in rez, you have to buy a meal plan, but maybe you'd rather cook your own food.
On the other hand, if you rent a place off campus, like an apartment with a few other people, you can have whatever you want in your room. You can buy food from grocery stores and cook your own healthy meals. Also you will have fewer distractions. The atmosphere in residence can be very social, and this may prevent you from studying when you know you should be. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are planning to live off-campus:
- Can I deal with financial problems? Your roommate(s) could decide to move out early, leaving you to pay for their portion of the rent. Are you prepared to deal with that while juggling school, a part-time job and a social life?
- Where do I want to live? It can take a while to find a place close to Fanshawe that is in your budget. This process can be frustrating and stressful, and you usually have to start your search pretty early to find a good place.
- Who should I live with? It may seem easy to find people to live with at first, but be careful. Are these people trustworthy? Are they going to hold up their end of the rent agreement? Will they pay their rent on time and clean up after themselves? Choose your housemates wisely. There won't be any residence staff to help you sort out your conflicts.
- Is the unit licensed? When searching for a house or apartment to live in you should always make sure the unit is legally licensed.
- How long is my lease? Pay attention to how long your contract is for. Many landlords lease houses for 12 months at a time, but if you were planning on going back home for the summer, you'll probably still have to pay for those four extra months.
- Is my neighbourhood safe? Now that you live on your own and campus security isn't patrolling your neighbourhood, you'll have to be a little more careful, especially if you are not familiar with the area you are living in.
- What about laundry? Be sure to double check that there is a washer and dryer in your accommodations. If there isn't one, be prepared to have to walk or bus to the closest laundromat.
- What about phone/Internet/TV/utilities? Internet is provided in Fanshawe's residences, but it may not be included in off-campus apartments. You will need to consider your budget and see what you can afford.
- What about when something breaks? Houses and apartments don't come with an on-site maintenance staff, so you will need to make those arrangements yourself.
- Am I going to have a comfy place to sleep? You will most likely have to provide almost all of your own furniture, and you will also have to provide a way to transport that furniture as well. There are fully furnished spaces available in town, but you may have to do some hunting to find them.
- How will I get to school? If you live off campus, you'll need a way to get to your classes. Lucky students may have found a place that's close enough to walk to school, but students living closer to downtown may find themselves using their free bus pass, provided to every full-time student by the Fanshawe Student Union.
- Can I bring my cat/dog/hamster/ teacup pig? Check with your landlord to find out his or her pet policy — you may have to leave Fluffy at home. When you're deciding where to live, make sure you consider all the factors that may have an impact on your decision.
Sure, living at home may save a lot of money, but you won't gain any independence this way. Do you want to be depending on your parents until you're in your 20s?
Post-secondary education is a chance to become the person you've always wanted to be. You can't grow and change as an individual if you continue depending on your family to take care of you. If you live at home, you will miss out on the “college experience” and you might even miss the chance to meet a lot of new people.
Living in residence or off campus provides that room to grow and the experience you need to gain independence. Living in rez can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot to handle. You don't have control over your surroundings or the people you'll be living with. Maybe you don't like the furniture residence provides, but you can't take it out of your room. Maybe you planned on studying all night, but there's a party going on next door, and it's breaking your focus. If you live in rez, you have to buy a meal plan, but maybe you'd rather cook your own food.
On the other hand, if you rent a place off campus, like an apartment with a few other people, you can have whatever you want in your room. You can buy food from grocery stores and cook your own healthy meals. Also you will have fewer distractions. The atmosphere in residence can be very social, and this may prevent you from studying when you know you should be. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are planning to live off-campus:
- Can I deal with financial problems? Your roommate(s) could decide to move out early, leaving you to pay for their portion of the rent. Are you prepared to deal with that while juggling school, a part-time job and a social life?
- Where do I want to live? It can take a while to find a place close to Fanshawe that is in your budget. This process can be frustrating and stressful, and you usually have to start your search pretty early to find a good place.
- Who should I live with? It may seem easy to find people to live with at first, but be careful. Are these people trustworthy? Are they going to hold up their end of the rent agreement? Will they pay their rent on time and clean up after themselves? Choose your housemates wisely. There won't be any residence staff to help you sort out your conflicts.
- Is the unit licensed? When searching for a house or apartment to live in you should always make sure the unit is legally licensed.
- How long is my lease? Pay attention to how long your contract is for. Many landlords lease houses for 12 months at a time, but if you were planning on going back home for the summer, you'll probably still have to pay for those four extra months.
- Is my neighbourhood safe? Now that you live on your own and campus security isn't patrolling your neighbourhood, you'll have to be a little more careful, especially if you are not familiar with the area you are living in.
- What about laundry? Be sure to double check that there is a washer and dryer in your accommodations. If there isn't one, be prepared to have to walk or bus to the closest laundromat.
- What about phone/Internet/TV/utilities? Internet is provided in Fanshawe's residences, but it may not be included in off-campus apartments. You will need to consider your budget and see what you can afford.
- What about when something breaks? Houses and apartments don't come with an on-site maintenance staff, so you will need to make those arrangements yourself.
- Am I going to have a comfy place to sleep? You will most likely have to provide almost all of your own furniture, and you will also have to provide a way to transport that furniture as well. There are fully furnished spaces available in town, but you may have to do some hunting to find them.
- How will I get to school? If you live off campus, you'll need a way to get to your classes. Lucky students may have found a place that's close enough to walk to school, but students living closer to downtown may find themselves using their free bus pass, provided to every full-time student by the Fanshawe Student Union.
- Can I bring my cat/dog/hamster/ teacup pig? Check with your landlord to find out his or her pet policy — you may have to leave Fluffy at home. When you're deciding where to live, make sure you consider all the factors that may have an impact on your decision.
