With the spring quarter fast approaching, many students are scrambling to find a place to call home for the coming year. The decision of where to live requires careful planning and deliberation to make sure you do what’s best for you.

Off campus living leases, more times than not, are cheaper than living in residence halls. This is a big selling point for many students as tuition, books and every day expenses can rack up the bills quickly.

You also gain a lot more independence, as you don’t have to worry about an RA or having to show your ID to get further than the lobby. Quiet hours also go out the window, and you can have as many visitors as you can fit in your apartment.

The last big perk to living off campus is the bathroom situation — community bathroom, anyone? With off campus living, you’re guaranteed to be sharing a bathroom with only a few people, or maybe enjoy one all to yourself.

Sounds great from the onset, but there are some cons to living off campus. You will have to budget for things like furniture, appliances, cleaning supplies, groceries and utilities.

In some cases, you’ll have to arrange to find your own Internet and cable TV sources, which can be costly.

While you won’t be sharing a communal bathroom, you will have to spend time cleaning your own bathroom and kitchen.

If you decide on a year-long lease, you may need to find someone to sublet your place to during the summer — leading to the hassle of trusting someone else to pay on time.

Now, let’s catch the flip side and discuss some of the pros and cons to on campus living. An obvious pro to living in university housing would be the benefit of having instant accessibility to the school.

You have a convenient walk to the main parts of campus and you don’t have to scramble for a parking space or pay exorbitant rates to park in a garage. You can also save precious dollars by not having to pay rent, shop for groceries or worry about heating or electric bills.

In addition to saving money, you will also have more access to meeting new people and engaging in campus activities — part of the fun of being at college.

Although on campus living may provide a great sense of the social scene, it can also cause disruptions to your academic pursuits – lack of privacy being the most prevalent, which can contribute to a diminished GPA.

I know my first quarter was full of instances when I found myself hanging out with friends instead of studying for an upcoming test or quiz. Sometimes, you have to keep your eye on the prize.

Starting off your academic year the right way is an important factor to achieving goals, and that’s why we’re all here in the first place, right?

Close living quarters are the result of limited space for the thousands of students in housing. Most rooms are small, and you will have be limited to only the bare necessities when moving in.
Both living situations have their unique advantages and disadvantages.

So, if you’re still deciding on where to live next year, here’s some advice: sit down and weigh your options before jumping into a situation.

Wherever you see yourself living this fall, make sure it’s your decision as you’re the one who will have to live with it, literally.