Distance, Privacy Influence Housing Decisions

Each student must decide if he or she wants to live on the University's campus or move off campus into a private apartment or house. Most freshmen start out on campus, but beyond that the choice is theirs.

Some students remain on campus all four years. Dennis Baker, a senior who has lived on campus since his freshman year, appreciates the on-campus convenience and expresses no regrets.

"Living on campus is an invaluable learning experience," Baker said.

He also likes the advantage of waking up and being able to be at class five minutes later.

"The main thing is convenience," he said.

Senior Clint Beaver from Gastonia has some different opinions. He moved off campus to an apartment at Highland Hills after his sophomore year for several reasons.

"I just wanted privacy," he admitted.

Beaver also disliked his South Campus home. He remembers living in Morrison Residence Hall and waking up in a bed of sweat during the month of August.

"Air conditioning was an incentive (to move off campus)," he said.

But now Beaver regrets his decision, and wishes he had waited another year before moving off campus.

"When I got off campus, I missed the interaction with other students," he said.

Junior Shervin Shafa understands the importance of such interaction. He has stayed on campus for three years and will move off next year.

Shafa said he believes residence halls enhance the college experience because everyone lives close to each other and students can engage in games and pranks. He also likes on-campus housing because of the availability of free food and the constant activity.

"You're more part of the body when you're on campus," he said. "You're in the hurricane."

Sophomore Katie Andringa cares little about this hurricane and will move off campus after this year. She is excited about the idea of her own kitchen and living room and about being with her friends.

"Dorms are great when you're a freshman," she said. "But now I just want to live with my friends. I'm so pumped about it."

Erin-Ashley Ross, also a sophomore, loved spending time in a house with her friends. But after spending this year off campus, she is anxious to move back on campus next year.

"I don't regret it, but I do feel like it changes the way you interact with the University," Ross said. "I feel a bit more removed and less like a student."

One of Ross' primary qualms with off-campus living is parking. She and her five roommates had to coordinate their schedules in order to carpool to campus.

They must leave home 30 minutes before class in order to get to campus, park by the Smith Center, and take the U-bus to North Campus.

Even the infamous South Campus fire alarms cannot be completely escaped once a student leaves campus. Ross' household had a recent fire evacuation due to grease on the stove.

"You got to learn how to cook," Ross acknowledged about off-campus living.

Freshman Jordan Ussery, who lives in Hinton James Residence Hall, has no problem with residence hall life.

She said the only reason she would move off campus would be to live in her sorority house during senior year.

"If you're living in a dorm, you can choose whether you want to meet new people or not," Ussery said. "Your circle of friends is ever increasing."

Ussery finds ways to take full advantage of residence hall life, such as having breakfast with other residents before class on Mondays and Fridays.

Finally, some students base their decisions on parental views, especially when it relates to financial incentives. Students remark that while it might be more fun to live off campus, it comes out overall cheaper to stay on campus.

In one case, the old adage "mother knows best" proved very true.

At the coaxing of her parents, junior Elizabeth Chapman, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, moved from an on-campus residence hall to the sorority house in the middle of her freshman year.

"It was financially better in the long run," Chapman said. "(My parents) definitely wanted me to live in the sorority house."

Chapman said she thought it was a great decision because of the advantages of a parking spot, decreased living cost and proximity to her friends.

However, there are a few residence hall perks she misses.

"I miss the community aspect and the guys," she said.

Junior Ben Meredith also listened to mom. He has lived on campus for three years and plans to stay because of his mother's wishes.

"My mom is paying for my meals if I live on campus. Therefore, I'm living on campus."