What is the Best Option? Off-Campus vs On-Campus Housing
BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY — As sophomore mass communications major Alexandra Notte said, living off-campus is one way to become more independent. Off-Campus housing is a choice many students make to avoid the heavy rules on-campus housing brings, but others, like Joshua Rodriguez, a sophomore business management major, make the choice because it is cheaper.
Joanna Chen, a freshman majoring in marketing and minoring in French, says she likes having campus resources near her but would prefer to live off-campus for the spring semester.
It is inevitable that some students will always choose to live off-campus due to the conditions that some who live on-campus go through. Many on-campus housing options like Montour Hall are not air-conditioned, which will lead students to make such a purchase for themselves.
Some off-campus apartments already offer that as an amenity in their lease. According to the housing and meal plan rates in the BU residence life website, to live comfortably and near campus with a full meal plan and $250- $300 in Flex, one has to spend at least $9,363- $9,413 dollars a year for college living expenses, and vacate the residence halls during campus breaks.
We can compare this to where Rodriguez currently resides: Lionsgate Apartments. According to Rodriguez, he only pays $9,100 for a full 12-month lease with all utilities included, a fully-furnished space, and kitchen appliances, plus $100 dollars a month he contributes along with his other two roommates for the monthly food they will eat. After this, Rodriguez still has money left over to invest in his books or other needs.
Academically, off-campus housing coordinator, Beth Brennan, says the best option is to live on-campus. It is more secure, but many consider living on their own because they’ve either simply decided to grow up and become more independent, or living off-campus offers them more for less, whether they are being financially supported or not.
Featured image: Montgomery Place Apartments, an on-campus apartment option. Courtesy of Residence Life at Bloomsburg University.
