Pros & Cons of Dorm Living
When new college students think about life in the dorms, the reaction is understandably mixed. On the one hand, it is exciting for students to experience a lifestyle that doesn’t involve living under their parents’ roof. But the idea of sharing a small space with a person they barely know and having to follow a set of rules could put a kink into the situation.
Regardless of whether students are getting ready for dorm life on campuses like Stanford or a more rural setting like Texas A&M, there are definite pluses and minuses, both of which students should learn to take in stride as they enter the beginning of their college years.
Pro: Everything is Accessible
Living on campus means everything is within a few minute’s walk for students. Getting to and from classes is a breeze because there is no commute involved. Hungry? Dorm housing is just a hop, skip and jump away from the cafeteria.
Con: Lack of Privacy
Having a roommate isn’t always a good thing, especially for students that value their privacy. Aside from having to share a living space (that isn’t too big to begin with usually), there are communal bathrooms. That alone does take some getting used to—even students who grew up sharing bathrooms with siblings might find the idea of sharing with strangers a bit unnerving.
Pro: Safety in Numbers
Colleges and universities do everything possible to protect the staff and students that are on campus every day. With dorm living, many safety measures are put into place, such as campus security, the presence of resident assistants, key card access to the dorm buildings (for schools that have this feature) and living in close proximity with other students.
Con: Lack in Certain Amenities
Not all dorm housing has a complete list of amenities. Air conditioning and central heat is something students should take into consideration when looking at dorms. Location has a lot to do with what perks are offered.
For example, having AC isn’t a big deal for students on campuses where the weather doesn’t get extremely hot. However, schools in warmer climates like Texas, know the importance of Champion AC and the difference it makes in lifestyle for dorm dwellers.
Pro: 24/7 Assistance
If there’s a problem or issue, whether it’s with a roommate or something dealing with the dorm facilities, students have a number of people to turn to for assistance. This means they don’t have to worry about finding a solution on their own since there is a designated go-to-person, depending on what the matter is.
Being a property owner as a college student sounds great but this arrangement doesn’t always come with perks like those mentioned above. Next to living in the dorms, students who live off campus under a landlord arrangement have the second best living scenario. Has the AC broken down? Then it’s up to the landlord to hire a company like www.championac.com to handle the problem. Owning property means being the one to do research and foot the bill instead.