 "Photo: Jay Bailey")
Whether to live on or off campus can be one of the most challenging decisions a student makes considering the difficulty of weighing the pros and cons of student housing and apartment rental.
Many students may be concerned with not being able to find a parking space, but students who live on campus are often times spared from that worry.
Around 23,000 students are enrolled at MTSU, and of those enrolled, about 3,500 students live on campus in the 21 residence halls and two apartment complexes.
Brandee Kent, a freshman mass communications major, lives in Monohan Hall and says she enjoys being able to walk to her classes and not having to worry about parking. Still, not even the perk of walking to class can make her want to stay on campus next year.
"I do plan on moving off campus next semester," Kent says. "I am ready to have my own apartment somewhere off campus."
Kristina Adkins, a sophomore advertising major, says she lived on campus and then decided she would rather live off campus.
"I lived on campus my freshman year, and a big perk was I could roll out of bed and get to class in two minutes," Adkins says. "One of the things I miss the most is being able to run back to my dorm room and grab something that I had forgotten for class."
Rasha Ahmed, a sophomore liberal arts major, says she lives 15 miles from campus. That may seem like a short drive, but parking is never easy for her.
"I have to give myself one hour to get to campus in order to find a parking spot and get to my first class on time," Ahmed says. "Even though parking is sometimes terribly difficult, I would never consider living on campus."
Living on campus freshman year is a great opportunity for new students adjusting to college life to take a little stress out of their lives and get some exercise.
Many students that live in the MTSU residence halls develop strong friendships through interacting with other students living in their hall.
Not all of the residence halls and apartments require students to have a roommate. If a student prefers to have a private room, he or she can choose to pay a higher room rate and have his or her own room.
Rent for single or private rooms in the halls or apartments ranges from around $2,500 to about $4,000 a semester. Rent is paid per semester, unlike many off-campus apartments where rent is paid by the month.
In most cases, students are allowed to request a roommate, which can make the transition from high school to college a bit smoother.
Eric Hancock, a freshman education and behavioral science major, lives in Clement Hall and says he is thankful that he was able to request his roommate.
"I am lucky to be rooming with one of my best friends," Hancock says with a smile. "We never had to go through the awkward stage of getting to know and living with a complete stranger."
Although Hancock may have a great roommate and not have to drive to class, there are a few things that are not so great about Clement Hall, he explains.
"I always feel like I am staying at a cheap hotel and have to remind myself it is temporary," Hancock says. "But it really sinks in that it is a little more than temporary when I lay down to sleep at night and feel as though I am sleeping on a the most uncomfortable plastic mattress ever."
Living off campus is sometimes more expensive, but some students prefer to live away from the dorms in order to avoid noisy neighbors and distractions.
Andrea Nourse, a junior mass communication major, says she lives about 15 minutes from campus and enjoys having her own space.
"It is wonderful having my own home and not having to worry about campus laws and rules," Nourse says. "It can be hard to get motivated to drive back to campus for club meetings or other on-campus activities that do not take place during the times I am on campus for my classes."
Living on campus, in many cases, makes it easier for some students to be able to attend extra-curricular activities. Many students that live off campus have a hard time making the drive back to campus to attend a function or get involved with a club. Some students have an hour commute to school and work a full-time job, which makes it very difficult to get involved.
There is no way to know if on campus living would be right for you unless you try it. To find out more about on campus living check out mtsu.edu/~housing.
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