LIVING ON CAMPUS

You know the old saying "you learn as much outside the classroom as you do in it"?

Well that statement carries a tremendous amount of truth and don't let the current economic climate reduce your overall college learning experience. I understand and respect that families believe they will save money by living at home or off campus. Over 25 years of higher education experience has only reinforced my belief that the on-campus experience is critical to the maturation of the student and makes the graduate more marketable.

College campuses by nature are diverse and living on campus exposes most students to individuals from places and cultures they have never experienced previously. Since a majority of students have single bedrooms and bathrooms at home this may be the first opportunity to live with someone else. We live in a world today that requires relationship building, communication and collaboration skills. I know personally I gained a great deal of experience from the lessons I learned in dealing with a variety of roommates. You learn to work out your differences, compromise on decisions and gain valuable knowledge from someone who is not like you.

I was one of those students who convinced my parents that living off campus would be cheaper, WRONG! I spent just as much money living off campus as I did on campus and didn't have the convenience of someone else cooking my meals and cleaning my room. I strongly encourage families to create a budget sheet and determine for sure if things will really be less expensive.

Finally, and the most important reason to live on campus is that statistics show that students who live on campus do better academically than those who live off campus. Becoming part of the campus you decide to attend is an important factor in student success. Although parents don't like to hear these words, an important response is when students refer to "going home" as going back to college. No one will ever replace mom and dad but these words signify that the student has successfully maneuvered their college experience.