Do the dorms

Times sure have changed. When your parents were heading off to college, they were lucky to have a computer on campus, let alone in their own dorm room. Heck, all they needed was a copy of their class schedule, directions to the library and a list of cafeteria hours to make them happy. OK, OK, we’ll cut your parents a break. But they certainly didn’t have many of the items that today’s college students take for granted: Internet access, a personal computer, access to a course syllabus at the click of a mouse.
Times have certainly changed, but one age-old dilemma still looms large. Students still have a tough time deciding between living on campus or off. While it’s generally agreed upon by most university students that the best place for freshmen is the campus dormitory, the best place to live those sophomore through senior years is a matter of opinion—a hotly debated opinion at that. “Living in the dorms can help teach life values, social skills, and ease the adjustment period to life at a new school,” says Matt Mulville, associate dean of students and director of Residence Life at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y.
In a recent lottery, 83 percent of the students who currently live on campus indicated they would like to do the same the next year. That’s not surprising. The dorm floor is often the epicentre of a your freshman year. New friendships are formed there, and it begins to feel like home. But if you’re hoping for a blank check of freedom, be prepared for reality. It’s hard to move into new surroundings with 160 people you don’t know.
It’s hard to deny the freedom of off-campus dwellings. Friends can’t come and go as easily, you have to share bathroom facilities, and you don’t even have a place to cook your own food. But living off-campus doesn’t mean an Animal House lifestyle, either. In fact, it could mean a dip further into the poor house. Canisius is located about a mile from downtown Buffalo. Like most college towns, rental opportunities usually include large, older houses with lots of bedrooms to fill. Like most off-campus living quarters, it’s common for a group of friends to share rent for these houses and fend for themselves when it comes to buying groceries, paying for cable TV, setting up the phone line and Internet access. Those are big responsibilities for people who are supposed to be concentrating on education instead. “In the dorms, all of this is provided and included in the costs of room and board,” Mulville says. “And with the rising costs of heating bills, more and more college students are starting to stay away from the big old houses that were once so popular. We even have laundry services that can be accessed with a swipe of a card. No more trips to the Laundromat needed.” Not to mention not having to worry about shovelling the sidewalk, mowing the lawn, replacing dull light bulbs, dealing with plugged up toilets or any other housing-related issue. “Today’s college student is a smart consumer,” Mulville adds. “They want the most for their money with as many amenities as possible.”
At most colleges and universities, students have the option of choosing on-campus housing that fits both their academic and social goals. While freshman are often put on the same floor, there are dorms that put transfer or graduate students together, cater to non-traditional students and areas for those who want a quiet, studious atmosphere, too.
Many colleges offer on-campus, apartment-style housing complete with kitchen facilities and the amenities of the dorms without the hassles or extra expenses of off-campus housing. “By living on campus, transportation to and from campus is never a problem,” Mulville says. “You know you can always get a hot meal, and you have a chance to meet people and develop a social network that can last a lifetime.” Times may have changed, but some things will always be the same. Dorm life is still a way of life that is almost too good to pass up. “Our students are here to concentrate on academics,” Mulville says. “They don’t want any other outside hassles and frankly, neither do we.”

The pros of dorm life:
- Social life is often built in. In the close quarters of a dormitory, it is usually very easy to find a pizza buddy or someone to help with studying.
-Dorm-sponsored social activities enhance the feeling of family. There are very few extraneous housing concerns. You won't be dealing with monthly rent payments, utilities or grocery shopping. Someone else will be doing the cooking and much of the housekeeping.
- You are sharing your living quarters with other students who understand the demands on your time.
- On-campus dorms are close to classes, the student centre and other college activities. 
- These days, cable TV and high-speed Internet access are a feature of most college dorm rooms. Even if you have to pay extra for those amenities, it is often cheaper than the residential price.

The cons of dorm life:
- Social life is nearly inescapable. The close living quarters of traditional dorm life means that it is often impossible to avoid a more active social life than may be good for your G.P.A.
- Dorm activities can often feel like unavoidable obligations.
- Privacy can be hard to come by. College dormitories can be very noisy places. - Shared bathrooms. (YIKES!)
- Without (often illegal) small appliances, something as simple as making a cup of coffee or heating a cup of soup is impossible. Your eating schedule will be ruled by cafeteria hours.

SIDEBAR SOURCE: © March 19, 2001 by Sandra Clockedile, licensed to About.com, Inc. Used by permission of About.com, Inc., which can be found on the Web at http://www.about.com. All rights reserved.

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