Moving off campus, especially as an underclassman, can be a scary thing sometimes. There are more things to do, buy, and be responsible for. However, you and your roommates will find that being away from a dorm can be a very rewarding experience. Here are five things that I learned about moving off campus your sophomore year (or future years).
1. You will not see your friends every day.
Being on campus freshman year meant seeing your friends and neighbors every morning, day, and night. Once you move off campus, however, the story quickly changes. You find yourself only seeing the people in each of your classes or on your daily paths, not the people you spent all of your time with the year before. It challenges you but gives you an opportunity to see what relationships really matter.
2. No dorm usually means no meal plan.
Your "adulting" skills go from 0-100 real quick. When you are used to waking up and walking to the closest cafeteria for breakfast and stopping by for dinner whenever you wanted, being responsible for nourishing yourself can be a lot to handle. You have to learn that chicken breasts, ranch dressing, and ramen are staples and that someone in your house is always going to be buying milk. And toilet paper.
3. Your schedule needs to be adjusted accordingly.
Going back and forth from your house to your campus for class is just not plausible. It is easy to schedule in an hour break for a nap when you live on campus, but the closer classes are together, the less back and forth you are responsible for when you have a commute.
4. Your house will be a hideaway.
For friends. For family. For freshmen in need. If you are one of the few people who have an off-campus home, I can promise you that it will be the place for people to run away from school. It is a blessing and a curse, as you are expected to host parties and dinner, but also get to be the safe haven for the girl who cannot stand her roommate or one who just needs to watch T.V. without the public's attention.
5. Freedom can sometimes get the best of you.
It is all too easy to get too comfortable in your home away from home. I know for certain that my roommates and I would rather make tea and sit in our cozy home than go to class some days. It is second nature to want to buy snack get ice cream, drive around, and go out for drinks when you know you cannot afford it. With independence comes responsibility, however. Moving off campus for your first time can be a lot more than you can handle sometimes between bills, groceries, and roommate responsibilities, but it all comes with the perks of being out of a dorm.
