Eliandro Ramirez Chang/ Contributing Writer
I forget sometimes that people live here at FIU, they do grocery shopping, put up holiday decorations, and the whole nine yards. Though as a Miami local that has lived here for about 17 years (not native) , I don’t think I would consider living on either campus’ dorms. Or any dorms in general, at least on any university that is within commuting distance of where I live.
There are a couple reasons for that and most are personal but I think it could relate to many other people as well. And I assure you meeting with strangers and living with them for the possible remainder of my career at the university is ok with me.
I’m all about meeting new people; if anything, I’d say exposure to the unknown would be a positive reason as to why anyone would move into a dorm. So unless you are out of state… and maybe even then, finding somewhere else to live for affordable prices is probably the wiser choice.
The first set back is the rather small size. Just for some background, I have lived in apartments all my life. The houses I did live in were only for a short period of time but there was never a house that my family owned.
Shared living with other family members was normal, because I am Hispanic after all. That being said, I am used to small spaces so I wouldn’t mind living in smaller spaces if the price was right.
Though that is only true if I had the whole place to myself. See, us Americans love our privacy. When the whole Snowden thing happened half the country erupted in disgust at the thought that all we search online was being monitored by the government.
Imagine living with up to four strangers in a shared room. I could take the four random strangers if I had a room to myself, sure. If that price was right, again. Which it’s not, but I will get to that later.
I am aware some dorms have separate rooms but for a living room that can amount to the size of 2 decent sized bathrooms (and sometimes not even that) it’s not worth it. Better to live in a 4×4 box and have the space to yourself than have to share that box with four people.
Remember when I kept mentioning the ridiculous price? A quick example I could give you for someone with my history (through a quick google search), apartments near the area usually go for $1,500 and up. With the lowest I heard about being in the $1,200 range or even $800 (I pay along with my folks around $950 for mine).
The lowest Florida International University is asking for on a dorm (remember what I said about sizing) is $2,250. No thanks! 109 Towers would seem as a better option though but there are issues there too, freedom.
Saving the best for last, and I don’t mean to come off as overly patriotic, but the freedom one has to do anything they please in the place where they rest their head is very attractive. I’d swipe right on that deal, that’s not something you can really have in a dorm. I feel a dorm would be more limiting than a standard (much cheaper) apartment.
Sure there’s policy and proper etiquette to be followed anywhere you live. Just that there is more of it in a dorm. In a dorm you have to acknowledge the considerations of your randomly assigned roommates, the dorm rules and regulations, and sometimes even annoying Resident Assistants (RA). Living in your “own place” you set the rules.
Who can stay over? How long or late you or the people inside your domicile can stay, and how many rules you can get away with breaking without your landlord finding out? Which I guess that last bit could be true of the dorm as well. All I’m saying is one is more likely to live in relative peace if it’s just you in there, at least I think I would.
But of course there are always pros and cons to every situation. This writer just isn’t going to go over the pros in this already long article. My take away message would be that unless you’re trying to go for the full out of state college experience, stick to cheaper and better options. This Miami local most certainly will.
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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
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