By Camille Cox | Staff Writer
I lived in Collins Hall my freshman year. My mom also lived in Collins in 1989 with the same furniture, same floors and, of course, same smell. Even though Collins is getting a renovation, I truly loved my time on the second floor. I met my best friends and learned how to live with a person who is so different from me, and it’s safe to say that it only went up from there. Student housing will always hold special memories for me, like my room flooding three times from the washing machines. Now, I have my own bedroom and bathroom, and things could not be better.
First, in private housing, you get to choose everything. While I cannot cook at all, I love having a kitchen. I love having a shower where I don’t have to wear shower shoes. It’s the simple luxury of walking three feet to the washing machine—instead of walking up several flights of stairs because the washing machines on your floor are full—that make it so very enjoyable. However, as school approaches, I have also noticed some similarities between private and student housing and things that I will miss about the residence halls.
Residence halls and off-campus housing both give you the opportunity to choose the fit that is best for you. If you want apartment style, Brooks Flats is the way to go. If you want the authentic feeling of residence halls with community bathrooms, live at Collins or Penland Hall. The same principle applies to choosing off-campus housing. You can choose to live with your friends in either an apartment or a house. Each one has pros and cons to it.
In fall 2020, 64% of non-first year students lived off campus. These students chose to live off campus for particular reasons.
Being close to everything is the No. 1 perk about living in a residence hall. I loved walking five minutes to my classes and down the hallway to see my friends. Also, when problems arise, it’s the same thing. In a residence hall, you place a work order. In a house, you text your landlord to try to find a solution. That’s just adulting.
If you have the opportunity to live off campus, take it! While in the long run you will be farther away from things and spend money, it’s worth it. Freshmen, live up the dorm life and get excited for the next chapter. Now, I live between students and Waco natives—the best of both worlds.
