Mocs News Reporting the news that matters most to UTC
By Delaney Holman
As high school students reach their senior year, the rush of post-graduation decision season takes hold. For some, trade schools are a good option; others will go straight to work, and some students choose the military, but for most, the next step is college.
A challenge some college students face is the loneliness of living off campus. Many schools require freshmen students to live on campus. Some students choose to move off campus after their first year, and other students transfer in as Juniors after community college.
“I really enjoyed living on campus; it forced me into a community and into making friends in a brand new environment,” said UTC student Matthew Lindquist.
Research shows that living in campus housing makes it easier to make friends, create a social life, improve academic performance, stay safe, reduce your commute, and feel supported.
Although, many students still choose to live off campus. Chattanooga currently has over 25000 apartments for rent, and several UTC students inhabit many of them.
“I decided to live off campus because it was much more affordable for my budget than on-campus housing,” said UTC student Sydney Zwart.
Many students who choose this path find benefits within off-campus housing.
Aside from the benefits of on- and off-campus living, one obstacle to off-campus living is the unexpected loneliness some students feel.
“I moved off campus after my Freshman year, and I enjoy the newfound responsibility and freedom, but living alone is hard sometimes, and it gets lonely,” said Lindquist.
Off-campus residents can, at times, face a fear of missing out.
“I feel a little isolated. I transferred to UTC as a Junior and never lived on campus,” said Zwart, “I have found it difficult to make friends being so far away from campus, and it’s even harder to make friends when I am missing out on the events that I would make friends at if I lived on campus.”In an article about the pros and cons of living off-campus, the University of Rochester called it “a small step toward ‘growing up.” Yet, an article in The Daily Illini suggests that common places that on-campus residents use, like the dining and residence halls, provide social learning, and college campus walkability creates a nostalgic recollection of college life.
Going to college already carries its own set of struggles for students: moving away from home, finding new friends, and juggling schoolwork. While dealing with all the different stressful aspects of a crucial time in students’ lives, many students also feel a sense of loneliness. Living off-campus can exacerbate this loneliness.
