If you can’t afford a dorm or prefer not to live on-campus, it can raise some concerns. Will it be as safe off-campus? What are communities doing to keep students secure?
You’ll be surprised to
discover apartments are often safer than on-campus options, with a few added bonuses that should make them your first choice.
They Diversify a Student’s Social Circle
Sure, living in a dorm means a shorter commute and surrounds you with fellow students enjoying (and struggling with) the same college experience as you. However, we can all attest that being in a room full of kids who don’t know how to cook with only a coffee pot is the blind leading the blind. A different, non-student perspective is an advantage.
An off-campus apartment community expands social circle. Here your neighbors will be single parents raising their kids, elderly people tending their hobbies, newly graduated students hitting the job market, and everything in between. This means you can benefit from different advice and tips on how to handle your studies, how to travel back and forth to your classes, how to safeguard your home, where to find Wi-Fi in a pinch, and much more.
They Have a Considerable Lack of Peer Pressure
An apartment community also gives you more party options than just with the local college scene. BBQs, fiestas, and other gatherings hosted by the property managers allow you to enjoy a weekend with your neighbors and others within your community, so you can find your “people” even if they’re not students themselves. Don’t stay home on the weekend if you feel like going out —but don’t feel like a keg party is your only option.
Housing Security and Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS)
Student safety is of higher concern than ever. In response, the DPSS has upped their patrols around many universities and extended this to the surrounding student housing communities. Rather than on-campus and off-campus being so strictly divided, Housing Security is paying closer attention to wherever their students call home, even developing
off-campus housing communities that can benefit from the same safety as the dorms.
Common Rooms with Printing and Wi-Fi
A college budget is a delicate thing to maintain. You may not have the funds to buy your own printer, and if your modem dies and Wi-Fi disappears, you may not be able to replace it right away. This leaves many college students to improvise, attending internet cafes in the dead of night to make a deadline or walking miles from their apartment to the nearest library. Beside it being an exhausting hassle, there are many dangers that can become a reality during these commutes, especially after dark.
That’s why more apartment communities in college towns are offering common rooms that provide free Wi-Fi and access to printers, sometimes after hours if finals are nearing. This allows students to access the technology they need to complete their studies in the comfort of their own community, without having to risk their safety traveling miles to other sources.
Pets Allowed
Having a dog is not only fun and good for the soul, but these furry friends are great for guarding your home. They can alert you of intruders, dissuade shady-looking people, and having a dog escort you around town does wonders for ensuring your safety. Some dorms — in fact, most dorms— won’t allow you to have pets, meaning you’re living solo without this added safety precaution. However, off-campus apartments usually don’t have such strict rules, so you can bring along your furry friend from home or purchase a new companion at your leisure.
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Clubhouses for Gatherings
Partying is one of the best parts of the college experience. Get out the red cups, crank the music, and live like you’re young. Unfortunately, however, high rent costs and smaller rooms make it hard to find a venue for these parties, and unless you want to hang out in an empty parking lot, the options are limited. However, many off-campus apartment communities offer clubhouses and other such common areas where you can host your parties in a safe, contained, and well-stocked environment. You don’t have to worry about the weather, and the neighborhood security makes sure the community is safe for all party goers.
Living in a safer (and often less costly) off-campus apartment community has many advantages. However, being outside the campus also means longer commute times and every minute can count.
Using the right organization strategies can ensure you’re catching up on studies on the bus, in those moments between class, and even while you’re taking your new pet on a walk.
