Most colleges require that freshman live in a dorm during their first year of school, then after that you can choose to live where ever you please. I did not like living in a dorm, so when my freshman year ended, I high-tailed it out of there and got my own apartment with some friends. Like all apartments, there are pros and cons. One major decision you have to make when house-hunting is location, location, location. Here are the pros and cons of living off campus.
Pro: It's quiet.
Living off campus means no screaming drunk people at 2am, a lot less traffic, and you have lots of privacy. It's easier to relax off campus. You feel a little more at ease, and you don't necessarily feel like a college kid, because you're an adult with your own place. And best of all, no drunk people will pull the fire alarm at 3am.
Con: It can be boring.
Downtown campus is where all the clubs and parties are. If you want to go out on the weekend but can't find a ride, then you're pretty much screwed. You're kind of out of the way, so it's rare if a friend from downtown will come get you. There are usually buses that take you downtown, but no one likes those. Living away from campus is more for the people who don't want to be bothered.
Pro: The places are a lot nicer.
Unless the place is owned by the university, apartments and houses are pretty run down and gross. I've been in plenty houses on our downtown campus that have holes in the wall, no furniture – and don't even get me started on the kitchens. College kids are disgusting; you have been warned.
Con: It takes you longer to get to class.
If you live on campus, then you can walk everywhere and never have to worry. If you live off campus, then you have to worry about finding a ride, where to park, how much it will cost, or finding a bus that takes you where you need to go. Where I live has its own bus that takes us to class, but it's late most of the time and stops running at 5pm, so it's a pain in the butt. Try to pick a place to live that's somewhat close to where you know your classes will be.
