Moving away from home can be difficult for both in-state and out-of-state students, but dorm living can be an exciting step in one's college career, with many academic and social benefits.
Living on campus is one way to bridge the gap between leaving home and finding a convenient, safe and worthwhile community at school.
See counterpoint: College students should consider living off campus.
For example, Taylor Place, ASU’s downtown residence hall, has activities planned out during the school year. Community Assistants set up activities where hall residents can play games, win prizes and get to know each other.
Living on campus helps students be more concentrated on their assignments. It is less of a hassle for students to go to the library or other studying places to work on homework or study for a test. A study done by a Brigham Young University student showed that students living on campus got better grades than their more distant counterparts.
Living on campus also helps students use all of the resources available to them. For example, the ASU writing and tutoring centers are more accessible to students living on campus. Students living on campus also have easier access to professors during office hours for additional help with classwork.
Tempe Residential Colleges from ASU Housing on Vimeo.
Demi Monroy, a junior finance major, said she enjoys living on campus because she does not have to worry about traffic.
“I never plan for traffic, so coming here and not having to worry about that was really nice," she said. "And also just the accessibility. When it comes to group projects I really don't have to go that far... I'm right across the street if I ever need to meet with someone."
Monroy said she recommends dorm living for students who are new to campus or have a packed class schedule.
“Overall I think living on campus your first two years is really good, especially because you’re such a busy student if you’re full time student. So I completely recommend it,” she said.
Alexis Hermansen, a junior majoring in broadcast journalism and geography, is an out-of-state student and enjoys living on campus.
“Living on campus was pretty fun. There were a lot of activities for us to plan out or to attend,” Hermansen said.
“I think I want to do it for my three years that I have left here because it's just a lot easier than having to deal with living off campus, and a lot of the dorm rooms that I have lived in thus far have been very secure,” Hermansen said.
Nicole Neri a sophomore majoring in journalism, said she enjoyed the location and amenities of Taylor Place, ASU's Downtown Phoenix residence hall.
“It was nice living there because all my classes were close and because of the convenience of a dining hall,” Neri said.
Living on campus is a valuable experience for students because they have many activities and resources at an easier reach than students living further away from school.
In addition, financial aid and scholarships can help with students' housing costs.
Reach the columnist at m.gmtz15@gmail.com or follow @gmtz90 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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