I've never lived on campus.
So, when it comes to deciding whether or not to live there, I might not be the most reliable source.
However, I have a perspective many ought to consider, especially since 80 percent of students live off campus.
Now, this column is not intended to scare you, young freshman.
I will speak of many things. Roommates, money, navel picking.
However, I am not saying any of these things will happen to you.
(Try not to take it too seriously.)
I stayed on campus for two nights during Camp War Eagle in the Quad.
That was enough for me.
In hindsight, I've spent more than two nights on campus, but the library doesn't count.
That's not to say my stay was traumatic.
Frankly, I found the dorm itself to be quite tolerable.
But what I found intolerable was having a roommate so close.
We talked nonchalantly for about half an hour before we decided to cut off the lights.
The conversation was productive.
I learned we had virtually nothing in common.
I also didn't want to bother him, and I didn't want him bothering me.
What if he snores? Will he begin to smell bad?
What if he catches me picking at something I ought not be picking at?
Will I ever be able to fart casually in my bed again?
Those questions all sound mighty melodramatic.
I become too self-aware when someone eats, sleeps and lives in the same 16-by-12-foot room as me.
I wouldn't be able to focus or sleep soundly, which prevents me from being able to buckle down and study when I need to.
I realized it would only be for two nights, but I didn't want to roll the dice when it came to living with a stranger during the semester.
So I moved into a trailer off campus with a friend from high school.
It was one of the best decisions I made, not only for my study habits, but for my wallet as well.
A double room in the Quad costs $3,100 per semester. With five months in a semester, that's $620 a month.
The same room in the Hill will cost $550 a month, and you'll be paying $800 a month in the Village.
It doesn't take much digging to find off campus housing offering twice the space of a dorm room at a fraction of the cost.
My rent is $307.50, so don't say deals aren't out there.
Oh, and many off campus housing options provide a refrigerator.
That is a luxury not afforded to students in the Hill or Quad.
Technically there is a communal refrigerator in the each dorm building's kitchen, but would you trust that?
Four stolen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches later and you'll be stashing your food beneath your bed like a squirrel.
If it's the commute you are concerned about, fear not. The Tiger Transit takes approximately 10-15 minutes to get on campus, depending where your bus stop is at.
Though, the most important thing is they're reliable.
I have never, not once, missed or even been late to class due to the Tiger Transit.
Worried about making fewer friends by living off campus?
Well, if you don't take the initiative to find them yourself, you probably won't find any, regardless of where you live.
To me, the only perk of living on campus is you can throw a rock at your classroom.
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