Quiz: Is Off Campus Housing Right for You?

Many college students plan to move off-campus after their first or second year. There are many benefits to moving off-campus, not least of which is the fact that you’ll probably save money. Living on-campus is convenient because you’re very close to your classes and you can also get on a food plan. However, convenience doesn’t come cheap. Off-campus housing, on the other hand, may not be that close to campus and you’ll probably have to start cooking or ordering in more often. Meaning it’s going to be a little more work. For some people, the college dorms work out fine while, for others, off-campus housing is the way to go. To figure out which type of housing is right for you, take the following quiz:

1.  Do you have a lot of stuff? ___Yes ___No

Dorm rooms are notoriously tiny. You might find that you have to fit all your things into half of a room that’s already too small to begin with. Your entire dorm room might be the size of half of your room at home. If you have a lot of clothes, books and other things, there might not be enough space for everything in your half of the room. Instead of letting all your stuff spill over to your roommate’s side, you might want to move off-campus and get your own room.

2.  Do you spend more time in your room or outside? ___In my room ___Outside

Some people are just homebodies. They like to have all their familiar things around them. They work better in an environment that they can control. They like being able to make coffee or prepare a snack while they study. They like hanging around in their pajamas. Other people are totally different. They like getting dressed up and going out, even if it’s just to a coffee shop or the library to study. They’re more social and only return to their rooms when it’s time to go to bed. If you’re a homebody, off-campus housing is absolutely right for you. If you spend most of your time outside the home, you probably won’t care as much about having your own space.

3.  Do you like to invite friends over? ___Yes ___No

Some people prefer to hang out with others in public places like restaurants, coffee shops, etc. However, others like to invite friends over and hang out at home. If you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, then having your own room might be more important to you so that you can have some privacy.

4.  Do you manage your own finances? ___Yes ___No

Everyone has to grow up sooner or later, but for some people, this happens sooner rather than later. If you’re a responsible type of person and you manage your own finances, then you probably have what it takes to get a place off-campus. If your parents are still managing your finances for you, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a place off-campus. However, you’ll have to make sure that your rent and utilities get paid on time, which is easier to do when you’re managing things yourself.

5.  Are you more involved in on-campus activities or off-campus activities? ___On Campus ___Off Campus

If you’re heavily involved in on-campus activities like sports, clubs, etc., it might be important for you to be close to campus. On the other hand, if you’re more involved in off-campus events (like an off-campus job or activities at a local coffee shop), you might even prefer it if you were further from campus and closer to your off-campus activities. Take stock of where you tend to spend the most time and make your decision accordingly. If you’re involved in off-campus activities, you might want to get an apartment close to the place where you spend more time.

What were your results? Share your quiz results with us in the comment section below.