Living and Learning Off Campus

Most college towns offer a variety of off campus housing options, ranging from first class apartment buildings with security gates and resort style pools to converted houses with multiple apartments. Students searching for off campus living typically have a lot of options to choose from.

When deciding where to live, it is important for students to understand the personality of the place they are moving to before they move in. Just as different dorms, fraternities or sororities have “personalities,” apartment complexes also have personalities.

You’ve heard “birds of a feather flock together,” and that’s true in off campus locales. Some apartments have a reputation for being home to “serious students,” while others are party central.

If you are serious about your studies, you’ll want to avoid the noisy party complexes and find yourself a place in a quiet apartment complex, perhaps one inhabited by graduate students or even young families.

No matter where you live, it’s important to set up a place in your apartment for studying. Whether your study area becomes the kitchen table or a desk in your bedroom, it’s nice to have a spot that provides the right atmosphere and space for quality study time.

Remember too that just because you live off campus doesn’t mean the library is off limits. Spending time on campus studying is a great way to ensure you keep your grades up and keep distractions to a minimum.