Choosing the perfect college is a huge decision and takes a lot of consideration. And after you finally choose the perfect school comes an even bigger challenge: Where are you going to live? Should you dorm on campus? Should you stay at home? Should you get an apartment off campus? It's a hard decision to make, and a lot of it is based on your financial situation. However, I strongly believe that it's important for a student to live on a campus at least once during their college experience.
Food
Living on a college campus means you're entitled to the meal plan. This means that you can go to the cafeteria and be able to get three meals every day. It also provides you with the opportunity to learn how to get creative with simple foods. Maybe eating a slice of pizza for lunch is great for the first two days of school, but after the first week, you get tired of it quick. Without living on campus, I never would've come up with such crazy and delicious meals.
Laundry
Living on campus means you need to take care of yourself, which includes doing your own laundry. While this may seem like a simple task (especially if you did it at home), it's a nightmare to do at school. If you're lucky, you won't need to pay to use a washer. But don't leave them in for a millisecond longer, because once that timer goes off, someone will be taking out your clothes so they can put theirs in. There are no friendships in the laundry room.
Shopping
Your parents aren't going to be buying you food anymore. If you need something, you're gonna have to find the closest food store and hope they have whatever you need. Out of Advil? Better hope your roommate has some or else you have to pretend you don't have a headache and walk a mile to the closest store.
Roommates
Yes, your roommate can end up being your best friend, but they teach you a lot more than that. Having to live with a roommate teaches you patience and how to compromise. Want to take a nap? What if your roommate has people over to study? You have to learn to compromise. Even if they annoy you and you dislike them, you have to live with them.
Friendships
The first thing I do when I wake up is text my best friend asking if she wants to get breakfast (or lunch if I sleep in). The first and last person I see every day is usually my best friends on campus. I have had so many great memories with them at 3 a.m. Most people spend all day with their on-campus friends because you live together anyway!
There are a lot of reasons to live on campus, at least for one semester. The life lessons are lessons you hold onto for the rest of your life and help you develop into a more mature person. Plus, the friendships will last a lifetime.
