Going to college will be one of the most life-changing moments you would ever have. It has the opportunity to be the most thrilling moment of your life, or it might go the other way. Through this period of transformation, you will learn what real freedom entails. There will be no more relying on Dad to take you to school or Mom to prepare your meal. All of this, and more, is entirely up to you! It will be overwhelming, but with a little training and preparation, your time at your new university would be a breeze!
One of the most critical choices students would have to make is whether to live on or off-campus. Each solution has its own combination of advantages and disadvantages, and we’re here to help you consider your choices so you can make an educated decision about your student accommodation.
On-campus accommodation
If you are a first-year college student, the institution would most likely expect you to live in one of their on-campus university halls of residence. Staying on campus for the first year is a wonderful idea, even though it may seem that you don’t have a preference. Staying on campus, particularly if you are an international student, helps to ease the transition into college life. On-campus accommodation is therefore suitable for students who like structure and have never stayed away from home. The presence of Resident Assistants (RA), mandatory study and quiet hours, curfews, and scheduled meal times will all impede independence.
Benefits of staying on-campus
Fully furnished rooms –
A significant advantage of on-campus accommodation is that it comes fully stacked! You can expect a desk & chair, a twin bed, and a dresser or armoire. All you need are your clothes and decor to personalise your room
Distance from class –
When you’re living on-campus, you can just roll out of bed and make it to class on time. This also helps cut down on transportation costs otherwise incurred while travelling from home to university.
Socialisation –
Being among a host of first-year students who are eager to break the ice and make new friends, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to socialise. Most universities take the initiative to make students feel at home by organising activities like movie night, rec rooms, communal dinner and a whole lot more.
Off-campus accommodation
Since you live with friends and have no time constraints, your social life is much more active in off-campus accommodation. Furthermore, as you live away from school, you have the ability to mature into a competent adult. It is your duty to make all household decisions and do all household chores. Well, it adds a little extra hassle to the plate, but it is a life experience that can pay off exponentially in the future.
Here are the benefits of staying off-campus.
Benefits of staying off-campus
There are obviously advantages of selecting off-campus accommodation for first-year students. Off-campus housing is ideally adapted for students who are still used to living on their own. Off-campus student accommodation, such as Purpose Built Student Accommodations, has a number of advantages, including the elimination of council tax. When the cost of living consumes a large portion of the budget, not wanting to pay council tax may be a lifesaver. Off-campus accommodations aren’t what they used to be due to the exponential popularity of PBSAs. Students should also experience a variety of services and unrivalled support from the most recent off-campus student housing facilities.
Utilities are often a part of your rent –
Most off-campus student accommodation properties have the cost of utilities included in your monthly rent. This means the cost of water, electricity, gas, cable, security, Wi-Fi, etc. are a part of your lease. This goes a long way while budgeting yourself as it gives you a small leeway into saving money. UniAcco scours all types of student accommodation properties to find properties that have this facility. Students can also customise their leasing agreement so that they’re paying only for the facilities they really need.
More independence –
At off-campus accommodations, say goodbye to Resident Assistants (RAs) telling you what to do, curfews and fixed mealtimes. You can come and go as you please as the degree of independence is much more at an off-campus accommodation than at an on-campus accommodation.
Different room types –
At an off-campus accommodation, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Students can choose from 3 broad categories of rooms such as en-suite rooms, studio rooms and apartments. They further branch into subsets of different rooms. So if you want to live solo in a studio room or share a 5 bedroom apartment with your friends, off-campus accommodation is the place to be.
A host of amenities –
Like we mentioned before, the off-campus student accommodation is getting very competitive. That’s why property managers have started novel amenities like a swimming pool, coffee bars, outdoor grills, breakfast on the go, car parking in addition to basic amenities like communal areas, study spaces, bike storage and gyms.
Fully-furnished rooms –
With the PBSA landscape getting incredibly competitive, properties try their best to stand apart from the rest of the competition. This means rooms decked with world-class furniture and coupled with hotel-like service. The cost of living here is on-par if not more than on-campus accommodation, making PBSAs a no brainer! You can also choose to decorate your room in any way you like so as to give your room that personal touch.
Privacy –
A major pro of living off-campus is privacy. You can stay alone in a studio room or rent an apartment with a fellow student. Staying off-campus gives you a break from the sharing of bathrooms, living with multiple students and spending time in communal areas. Students who operate best while being left to their own devices should definitely consider off-campus student accommodations.
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