One of the
biggest decisions to make before you head off to university is where to live.
Many students decide to spend at least their first year in residence, but
others find this uncomfortable and prefer to live in apartment
rentals in Waterloo. Waterloo students are lucky, as there are plenty
of options whatever you choose — you just need to figure out what would better
suit your needs.
Cost of Living
Living in
residence is almost always more expensive than renting an apartment. You pay
for the convenience of being on campus, receiving a meal plan, and having a
furnished space.
However, the
total costs could be lower, as you’ll only pay for eight months rather than 12
months. This could be convenient if you want to go home over the summer, but it
will be an additional complication if you want to stay in Waterloo for a job or
internship.
Meet New People
A major
reason why many students opt to live in residence for their first year is
because they have no friends at university yet. When you live on campus, you
meet a huge number of people in a short period of time. Beyond just being
around other people, you can attend organized events that are designed to help
you make friends.
Privacy and Freedom
A downside
to living on campus is the lack of privacy. You’ll be sharing a room with
another person, which means you’ll rarely be alone. Plus, you’ll have to share
a bathroom with even more students.
You’ll also
have less freedom. In residence, you need to stick to the rules about who you
are allowed to bring to your room and stay quiet during exams. At other times
of the year, you may find the dorms quite loud, which could make it difficult
to study.
If you live
in your own apartment, you’ll most likely have your own room and share common
spaces with fewer people. Plus, you can set your own rules.
Commute
The last
factor to consider is your commute. Living in residence means that you’re
already close to everything and rarely need to think about transportation. If
you have an apartment, however, you will need to think about how you’ll get to
class.
It is
possible to have the best of both worlds. With Waterloo student
housing rentals like King Street Towers, you’ll be around other
students and live near campus, but you can enjoy freedom and privacy. Plus, the
suites are much more affordable than living in residence, even though rooms are
furnished.
