Living On Campus Enhances the College Experience

Jennifer Betancourt/Contributing Writer

I desperately wanted the college experience. I wanted to leave the school I had attended for seven straight years and dive into something completely new: a new community of students, a new breadth of opportunities and a new way of life. The idea of becoming the independent college student I had dreamed of excited me.

But when I decided to attend FIU, I wasn’t sure this was still possible.

FIU is a commuter school. According to US News, 93% of the 47,586 students who attend face-to-face classes at the University live off-campus, making the drive to and from the school. This lends itself to a hallmark college experience, unique to schools whose majority population don’t claim the campus as their home.

I lived 30 minutes from FIU (an hour and 30 minutes during rush hour), which meant two lengthy drives a school day. Using extra scholarship money, I decided to apply for university housing, searching for the college experience that I wanted. 

After experiencing the life of an on-campus and off-campus student – I stayed two full semesters in the dorms, and then commuted for a short summer – living on campus offers a stronger and richer FIU college experience.

For one, living on campus is convenient. As a commuter, I would have to wake up two hours before my 9 a.m. class to get there on time, so I definitely didn’t take the 15-minute walk to class for granted. 

In between classes, I had a home where I could come in and out of, take a nap, catch up with my roommates or grab a snack. If I needed time to be alone and finish an assignment, I didn’t need to scavenge through hidden parts of campus for a nice and quiet spot I would call my own for a few hours. 

The housing facilities themselves are great as well, incomparable to dorms of similar prices that I toured at other universities in the state. The cheapest dorm option at University of Miami – a cramped room for two encased by brick wall – costs just $200 less a semester than one of the most exclusive and expensive options at FIU – a four bedroom, two bathroom suite with a living room and full kitchen in the new Parkview building.

Living at FIU, which lies within such a multicultural city, also led to a very interesting campus culture. Those who lived on campus came from Miami and the rest of the world, all thrilled to be in the city. The dorms felt like living in a tightly woven safety net without the suffocation of tiny college towns surrounded by only retirement homes and corn fields. The dorms and Miami seemed like an ideal combination.

The best thing about living on campus, however, and the reason I decided to apply to housing, is the community. Living on campus allows me to stay involved at a level that was nearly inaccessible as a commuter. When you live at home, the thought of staying for a 7 p.m. club meeting after a long, academically charged day wasn’t always the most enticing.

The idea of just hanging out on campus and meeting new people didn’t always fit into the commuter experience either. As an honors student, I had the added bonus of fulfilling my honors points through several small events throughout campus. I met many of my current friends while idling around the university or at one of the honors events.

During the semesters I lived on campus, I began to grow in the community, step out of my comfort zone and experience the opportunities and friendships that other small liberal arts colleges had promised me. And, as a campus resident, I developed an unprecedented and strong sense of pride for my University.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

Featured photo from FIU Flickr.