As the school year is coming to an end, it is time for seniors to start deciding their upcoming plans for the next year. With college being the most common choice for after high school, there will come a time to make the decision if you want to live in a dorm or commute from home. Either choice is followed by an array of possibilities, with advantages and disadvantages for each destination.
Moving into a dorm is probably the more common choice of the 2 and this can be for many reasons. Here are some advantages and disadvantages for living in a dorm:
Advantages-
- Being closer to classes
- Meet new people easily
- Decorate to your liking
- Have a new sense of freedom
- Always involved in school activities & campus-life
Disadvantages-
- Being away from home and family
- Have to share a space with virtually a stranger
- Communal showers
- Is very expensive
- Having to decide what to keep at home or bring with you
- Harder to find employment or a new job
If you are going to college and do not want to live in a dorm there are other options, but this requires you to commute to school. These are some advantages and disadvantages of commuting:
Advantages-
- Staying with pets and family
- Not having to move all your belongings
- Being able to eat at home, saves cost on on-campus dining
- The comfort of being somewhere you know
- Being able to keep your current job
- Saves on student loan debt
Disadvantages-
- Not being included in school activities or campus-life, leading to FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
- The cost of gas
- No freedom away from parents which can distract from schoolwork
- Takes up time (and energy) to drive to and from school
- Harder to form close friendships
Choosing where to live for college is a very tough decision to make, but thankfully it doesn’t have to be permanent. If you regret your decision you can always choose to move back home or find a dorm, but you may have to wait until the end of a semester or year depending on your college so that is why it is so important to try to make the correct choice your first time. Hopefully now that decision is easier to make with the advantages and disadvantages laid out in front of you.
