There are plenty of reasons why living on campus was the right choice for me. In general, it has enhanced my college experience and made it more enjoyable. So in case you aren’t sure about living on campus for the first time, let me give you a little rundown on why I love it.
I’ll start with my biggest reason. I love being around my friends. It’s fun to live with your friends, especially if they’re in the same building or on the same floor. At any time, they’re just a short walk away. This makes it much easier to hang out than if you were all in different places. I find it comforting to know that all these people that I care about are so close.
Something that my friends and I usually do is eat lunch and dinner together. Who shows up to lunch at certain times is really dependent on our individual class schedules. Still, most of us will usually gather together for dinner each night at the same time. It’s nice being able to see them every day, especially if we don’t share any classes during the day. At least for me, this has given Cabrini a homey and cozy feeling.
Speaking of dinner, I love having food already prepared for me when I go to the caf. I’m certainly no chef, so being able to have cooked meals every day without making it myself is a big plus to living on campus. Couple that with being able to go to Cru5h to pick up a hot chocolate in the morning, or a burger later at night, and I’m pretty much set.
Another perk to living on campus is the short walk to class. I love my sleep, so not having to worry about a commute in the morning is awesome. All that I have to do is walk four or five minutes to my classroom. No traffic, no rush hours. Just a bit of exercise and maybe a hot chocolate on the way. (I don’t drink coffee, but you could get that too) I never enjoyed having to wake up early and travel in traffic to high school, so just being on campus is a huge improvement.
Since you’re already on campus, it’s much easier to attend the various events and activities throughout the year. For example, let’s say there’s a lacrosse game going on. If you’re living on campus, all you have to do is walk down to the field to watch the game. Quizzo trivia night? Five-minute walk. Basketball game? Five-minute walk. Open mic night? Five-minute walk. Seriously, it’s that easy. Plus, it’ll motivate you to attend more things, which will allow you to have fun, new experiences and potentially make more friends. Even if you happen to just be bored one day, check the athletics or the events calendar. Maybe there’s a game going on soon, or an event that sounds interesting.
Living on campus is also a great opportunity to work out and stay/get in shape. There’s a gym for all students to use as much as they like, so take advantage of it! There’s also a pool open for student use when it’s not being used for practices or meets by the swim teams. I can’t forget to mention that the basketball court is also open for student use when not reserved for practices or events. I’ve gone to play pickup games of basketball with my friends plenty of times. Again, it’s really nice to only have that short walk to my destination (as opposed to a long drive).
Finally, the last thing I enjoy about living on campus is getting to know more people. Since you’re spending most of your time on campus, you’re undoubtedly going to be interacting with more people. This is a great chance to make memories and create new friendships. Even if you only run into someone a few times, remember that you can learn something from every person you meet. Living on campus is an excellent opportunity to talk to people—a bunch of people, all around your age, and all living in the same place. Go out and interact and take advantage of these four years.
If you had any doubts or fears about living on campus, I hope this was able to alleviate some of them. College is an awesome adventure, and I believe that living on campus is a great part of that adventure. In the end, just enjoy it. It’ll all go by quicker than you think.