Living on Campus

Graduating from high school is one of the major accomplishments that a person conquers during their lifetime.  Yet, as high school graduation marks the end of a chapter in life, it also symbolizes the start of a new chapter that life brings.  Some are just content to graduate from high school and immediately get a job and begin to work.  On the other hand, others choose to further their education and enroll into college.  Attending college brings a person more responsibility, independence, and living a life on campus.

A large amount of students that decide to attend college end up leaving their hometown, to attend their desired college.  According to www.collegebound.net, out of those enrolling into college "about 40 percent of full time students live on campus."  Living on campus is a great way for students to get a feel towards the real world.  It's a time that students leave their parent's home and start living on their own.  Thus, enabling students to learn some responsibility and gain some knowledge on living independently.  

I believe that living on campus has many upsides to it.  Getting to meet new people might be the greatest advantage of living on campus.  The number one tip one must do is get to know their roommate.  After the roommate, one should try to make as many friends as possible.  One can meet people from all over the world and develop everlasting friendships.  Another positive thing that living on campus brings is that campus is within walking distance.  So regardless if one owns a vehicles living on campus will  save them gas money.  Although living on campus isn't necessarily cheap, it is definitely cheaper than living off campus and having to pay for rent and utilities.  

Unfortunately living on campus can at times also have some negatives, like junior undergraduate, David Garza states, "you get really stressed out, for the reason that you feel that you are always in school."  "Sometimes you just find yourself in your room all day just looking out the window," Garza further explained when asked about the negatives that living on campus might bring.  Yes, there is an opportunity for creating new friendships, but if a person is not very social, Garza mentioned that, "it can make you feel lonely."  These small hardships that one might experience is just part of being a college student.  Having the ability to adjust to being an independent person and getting a small glimpse of how the real world is will eventually help one in regards to their future.

Living on campus can have its ups and downs, but these are just obstacles that a college student has to jump over and sometimes even adjust to. The one thing that one should do is be themselves and enjoy the time they spend attending college.  Living on campus is one of the many experiences that a college has to offer to its students.  For some tips on living on campus and surviving college, visit www.collegebound.net   For more information on Texas A&M International University's Housing & Residence life, visit www.tamiu.edu/housing/housing.shtml.

(Ignacio Banda can be reached at ignaciobanda@dusty.tamiu.edu)