Moving Away from Home to Attend College

RoseAndre'e Senatus

We want out

September 28th , 2016

ENC1101

Moving away from home to attend college  is very difficult for some, due to the fact that they have to adapt to new people and a new environment unwillingly. Many universities eliminate the option of giving freshmen, who are non-natives of the city where the university is located, the opportunity to live off campus. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is one of the many universities that applies this regulation to its campus. Although residing on campus has its pros, it also comes with its flaws. This includes a rise in college tuition for freshmen, a lack of privacy and it takes a toll on grades or grade point average.

Initially, the rise in freshmen college tuition is the effect of living on campus. The total amount of housing , meal plans and other expenses cost more than the actual undergrad tuition itself . Those who are natives of the city in which the university is located, have an advantage over those who are traveling long distances because if they live within a 35-mile radius of the institution they do not have to reside on campus. This leaves the regulation unbalanced. For example, the dormitories at FAMU ranges from $2,500-$3,700. There is a variety in meal plan selection, but they are still overpriced, while tuition ranges from $1000-$1500 or more depending on credit hours.  Freshmen who are obligated to live on campus are spending more money than those that are not obligated to stay on campus per semester. They are taking out a vast amount of money in student loans. These expenses  later results in them graduating owing the government, leaving them in debt. Living off campus would help students save money , that can benefit them for other needs

Furthermore, living on campus as freshmen comes with a lack of privacy. Students are randomly placed in a minute room with another scholar of the same sex without any knowledge of who they are going to end up with, which leads to the lack of privacy. For instance, many people are prone to living alone and can not function well living with another person.Their privacy is invaded when answering phone calls, getting dressed as well as having guests. Also certain individuals like to clean, be quiet, and to be anti-social, while others do not. The walls may be very thin to the point where students can hear everything the person is doing or saying. Being placed with someone who does not respect or who is not compatible with way a person wants to live can later result in a complication between the two individuals. Every dorm has a resident assistant or clerk at the front desk 24/7, which comes with rules and regulations that they are entitled to enforce, Such as what time visitors are allowed in the rooms or when quiet time is in session, if the rules are disobeyed a fine is applied. This interferes with the students' independence, knowing that there is somebody watching them all the time. From my experience, having to walk through the lobby at a disrespectful time very loud to see somebody sitting there watching me is very uncomfortable because it left my mind wondering about what he or she was thinking of me. Having your own space allows you to walk in whenever you want to and it allows you to have your own rules.

Lastly, being obligated to reside on campus as a freshmen may take a toll on a student's grades or grade point average. College is saturated with social activities , sororities, fraternities or groups that target freshmen. Being the new kids on campus, everyone wants to get involved to be connected with others or to somehow make a name for themselves. This is set to be a distraction for those that are poor with time management. My mother once told me "everyone is given 24 hours in a day , what you do with yours is all up to you." Depending on which major a student is going for , the curriculum may require rigorous courses that require a lot of time and energy. Freshmen that join or take part in these activities can lack concentration in their course, which leads to failing grades. Likewise, there is always a party taking place, even on weekdays. The majority of these parties are within walking distances of the institution. This takes as a temptation for students that live on campus because they can walk to the event. For example, a student is tempted and attends a weekday party but has an eight o'clock class. He or she gets home at four o'clock in the morning; nine times out of ten they will not make it to class. If the party was not walking distance from the school or if he or she did not reside on campus they would have not gone to the party. Most of the time , peer pressure takes over a person's mind. Being on campus requires a person to be around students all day as an interference, they will not be able to escape them. On certain occasions, a scholar may want to study or be alone but will be restricted due to the fact that there are other students where ever they may want to go. Being away from campus , you wont feel the urge to come back on campus after classes if you leave . The amount of temptation would lessen.