Pros and Cons of Off-Campus Living

by Kevin Smith Author

The Stressful Decision

There are several stressful decisions you must make when deciding to go to college. The biggest decision for most people is where they are going to live. The two only choices are: off campus or on. In more situations than not, you have to pick roommates. Then you have to consider location as well as what will be cheaper, more convenient, and more sensible. There are many factors to decide on, but the only way to know what works for you is to search OU rental properties. Here are some pros and cons that you may find.

What Are the Cons?

You may not find a place that is close enough to the college. This will not be helpful for you if you wanted to go home between classes. The distance will force you to stay on campus, which will create voids in your day that you will need to fill with something. When you go to school, you may be forced to bring a heavy backpack with all of your books, lunch, or anything else you need for that day. Another con could be that it can be tough to find reliable transportation. Although it varies by location, buses are often not on schedule, which can complicate your commute. In some situations, living off-campus means you need to take care of bills and grocery shopping, which may take away from your study or leisure time. Despite all this, there are also some very appealing aspects to living off-campus.

What Are the Pros?

Living in the OU rental properties can be a cheaper option. You learn very valuable life lessons by paying bills and going grocery shopping. You may consider it a pro and a con. You can have a space that separates you from school. Living off-campus may give you your own space and a separate mindset. It is much easier to have friends over. In on-campus housing, the walls are very thin and you need to be careful of making too much noise. Granted, in residential areas you need to be careful of that as well, but not to the same extreme. You may find living off-campus to be the more enjoyable option. If you can find a group of level-headed friends to join you, the perks of living off campus far outweigh the inconveniences.