Why ALL Freshmen Should Live On-Campus
By Jenna Case on July 31, 2012
All freshman should live on campus their first year. I know, easy to say when I’m sitting pretty in my apartment where I have the entire room to myself and my own bathroom. Dorm/campus living is by no means the easiest (or cheapest) way to live, but it is definitely a rewarding experience.
Living off-campus, I rarely interact with the school anymore. I’m there for classes and nothing else. The school is kind of a waste of beautiful space (and the money I pay for it) if I don’t even take the time to appreciate it. My freshman year was filled with many on-campus activities and adventures, that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
You’re more involved in campus life and activities when you live on-campus. I remember meeting so many people just by walking around Landis Green when I lived in the dorms. And eating at the dining halls was always fun because you would always run into at least one person you knew. Living on campus was pretty much the most social aspect of my freshman year (even more so than Greek Life).
Another great thing about living on campus: proximity. Proximity of classes, proximity of Strozier, and, of course, proximity of Tallahassee night life. It was such a God-send to know that I was only 15 minutes (max) away from all of my classes. I could sleep in more, and not have to worry about finding a parking space or catching the bus. I also skipped classes less. As for Strozier, I’ve only been three times in the past year. Moving off campus away from the library has turned it into a hassle for me to even go. I’ve skipped many a study group just because I didn’t feel like traveling back to the school. I was definitely more inclined to go to tutoring and visit my teacher’s for help when I lived on-campus.
I can’t forget about Tally night life. What a good portion of the student-body lives and breathes, FSU’s most popular night clubs are less than a block away from the campus. There’s the strip, housing multiple clubs and bars, across the street from the main campus (Tennessee St.), Paddy’s Campus Beach Bar on Pensacola, right across from Wildwood dorms, and then—my personal favorite—Potbelly’s a block away on the corner of College and Maccomb.
What I’m trying to say is, when you have everything at your fingertips, why would you want to live anywhere else?