The Pros and Cons of College Living Options

If you’re a freshman, on-campus living is probably your only option. Sophomore year on, however, the world is your oyster and you’ve got a choice between living on or off campus. There are pros and cons of each living situation and you have to determine the best option to match your lifestyle to decide where you’d like to live.

On-campus living means dorm life, or if you’re lucky and your college has them, a campus apartment. Most campuses have several options for dorms.

Pros

• Vicinity- You’ll be right in the middle of everything, near your classes, the library, the student center, etc. You’ll likely be able to walk everywhere and given how close you’ll be to your classes, you’ll be able to pop in and out of your room between classes.
• No bills- All of your living costs will be covered through financial aid or tuition. You’ll never have to worry about the cable or the lights going out.
• Cafeteria- Everyone needs to eat and campus cafeterias will provide plenty of great food options to meet most any tastes. Given most college students have neither the desire, nor the skill to cook 3 meals a day, that’s a pretty nice perk.

Cons

• Lack of privacy- Having a roommate and living with 200 other students means your privacy will be limited. Someone (usually many people) will know nearly everything you do. Rumors run rampant and news travels at the speed of light.
• Lack of control- Dorms have rules and there will come in a time in your dorm life when you would like to break a few, but breaking rules will usually mean losing your housing.
• Public showers- If you are living in a dorm, prepare for public showers and the daily toting of your personal bath items down the hall in your fluffy robe. There’s nothing like a row of public showers to make you love a pair of flip flops.

Off-campus living will mean renting an apartment or possibly a house with a few of your college buddies. Many rental options cater specifically to the local college market and there should be rental options in most college towns.

Pros

• Freedom- You are free to do what you want at your off-campus apartment (granted your roommates and landlord approve). You can throw a party, light candles and hang out with your buds all night.
• Privacy- You may luck up and have your own room at your apartment, but even if you have to share a room, you’ll have much more privacy than in a dorm. Sharing a house with even 5 friends is a lot more private than a hundred or so.
• Space- While most dorms are just one room, an apartment, or house, will usually give you multiple rooms and overall more living space.

Cons

• Bills- You will have responsibility for rent, utilities, cable, phone, internet as well as groceries, paper goods and cleaning supplies. There is a lot of responsibility and if these responsibilities are not taken care of, your utilities and services could be discontinued or, even worse, you could be evicted.
• Cooking- You won’t have the luxury of the cafeteria with off-campus living and unfortunately, most college students aren’t the best cooks. Unless you or one of your roommates is an aspiring chef, your meals will likely suffer or you’ll end up spending a lot of money on pizza and Chinese take-out.
• Safety- Campuses are usually well-monitored by security, well-lit and overall safer than areas off campus. You’ll need to be extra careful when travelling to and from your off-campus housing, especially at night.

The decision to live on or off campus is a major one. Make sure you take the pros and cons of each option into consideration before you make a decision on where you’d like to live. It’s all about what’s important to you.

Photo credits (creative commons) by Paco Seoane

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Congratulations! You have successfully completed high school, applied for college and you’ve been accepted. You’ll spend your summer hanging out with your high school buddies, while feverishly preparing for your arrival to campus. You want to make sure you bring the right stuff and here are few areas that you don’t want to miss.

Bedding: Even if you have a twin bed now, you’ll need brand new bedding for college. Dorm beds are extra long twin, but luckily many retailers sell bedding sets and solutions specifically for college students. Make sure to get a complete bedding set (fitted sheet, top sheet, pillow, pillow case and comforter) as well as extra sheets and pillow cases. You may also want to bring a few throw blankets as well. There is nothing like a cozy blanket and a text book to warm your soul.

Décor: When you arrive, your dorm room will be drab and bland and it will be up to you to bring it to life. Take time to shop for items like rugs, drapes/blinds, art, photographs and throw pillows to bring a little style to your new home. Make sure to work within the color scheme of your bedding and if you’ve got a roommate, you may want to discuss color coordination between you two.

Computer: Most college campuses will have a computer lab (some open 24 hours) that can fill all of your computing needs, but there is nothing like having your own computer in your room. Laptops are best given portability. If you are planning to purchase a computer for college, contact your university first. Most universities have relationships established to provide students discounts on computers and software. You’ll also want to bring a printer if you can.

Small electronics: You’ll need an alarm clock and you’ll probably want a radio. If you have an iPod or other mp3 player dock, you’re all set. If not, buy both.

Mini-fridge: The cafeteria will not be open 24 hours a day and it’s very likely that you’ll need a snack during those times. A mini fridge will allow you to store refrigerated snacks and beverages for your snack attacks.

Supplies: You’ll want to hit your first classes armed to take copious notes. Plan to bring an initial supply of notebooks, compositions books, pens, pencils, highlighters, etc. If you have a computer and printer in your room, make sure to bring paper and printing supplies as well.

Mementos: While you are super excited about college life and can’t wait to get on campus, there will be times when you miss home. Make sure to pack a few photos and other sentimental items that remind you of home. It’s amazing how comforting these items can be when homesickness kicks in.

Now that you’ve got your list of needed items, you’ll need to decide the best path to get them. Most retailers will have back to campus sales and specials throughout the summer so be on the lookout so you can take advantage of these discounts and offerings. And if your parents are scoffing at the price tag of your wish list, suggest that they throw you a trunk party where friends and family can celebrate your going away to college and bring you gifts to help with your upcoming journey. You can even create wish lists or set up a gift registry at many retailers to ensure that you get exactly what you need (and want) for college.

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Han Chen is a student from American University of Washington D.C. and recently had the opportunity to study in Cairo, Egypt.  Her trip overseas has given her the experience of a life time.  Here is a sneak peak of Han’s experience in a new country.  Look for the full interview in Al Jamiat’s fall issue!

About Studying Abroad
What helped you decide to study abroad?
I had funding through my fellowship with the Institute for International Public Policy. Some previous fellows had studied in Cairo, and HIGHLY recommended it. If any other students of color want to study international relations, they should definitely apply to IIPP.  Also, many people had told me that Arabic was a tough language, but I am pretty good at picking up patterns/syntax, so I thought Arabic would be a fun thing to learn.

Were you living on campus or did you commute?
I commuted; it was about 1 hour from campus in New Cairo to get to my apartment in downtown Cairo. Bless etisalat for making an internet USB stick that works while commuting IN THE DESERT!

About Crew
How did you first hear about the crew team?
I walked by the Student Activities fair at the beginning of the semester and it seemed like a good idea. It was perfect timing because I was looking for something to join at school to meet more people.

What was the key factor that made you decide to join?
I was always going to be free at 6am so why not go ahead and try it out, right? And it was a 5 min cab ride from my home. On the first day, everyone was really nice and helpful to the new students, so I really liked everyone right away.

About Friendships
What was the best way you made new friends?
Find an activity I would enjoy even if I were still at school in the US, and keep doing it! Since I’m studying in a foreign country, I will inevitably meet locals, and doing it in the context of something I already enjoy (or learned to enjoy, like crew) makes it easier to find people I liked, rather than trying to make friends with all Egyptian people simply because I was in Egypt and felt like I should prove that I could befriend all local people. Because then that inevitably attracts people who are more appreciative of the novelty of having a ‘foreign’ friend from America compared to anything else.

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While I went to Cairo to experience a new culture and a new way of life, I think a part of me really believed I would just be an observer. It is, however, important for us travelers to realize that there is no such thing as observing your surroundings. We are all active participants of the world around us, even if we are quietly sitting at the outskirts. At first, I didn’t believe that I would be treated badly, even as a woman. After all, I was only an observer. How wrong I was.

I dreaded walking to the school bus every morning, a dread that arose from knowing I must keep my head down and wear my sunglasses so to avoid making eye contact with any men. I always dressed conservatively, often wearing jeans and tank top with a cardigan, never showing my legs, shoulders, or cleavage; however it probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference if I had been naked: my blonde hair and white skin attracted attention everywhere I went. As I walked down the street, I would hear the police officers and bowabs begin to whisper and feel their stares begin to penetrate thorough my shirt. I was constantly angry at this situation; Angry that I, and every other woman, could not smile and converse freely with others in the street. Angry that I had to put on a façade, and a rude one at that, in order to get by without any mushkelaat (problems).

For all the disconcerting looks and comments I got, I always felt ten times safer in Cairo than I do living in downtown Los Angeles at USC. I felt safe even walking alone at night in Zamalek, which I would never do near my apartment in the States. I never feared being robbed or raped, which has a lot to do both with the pride Egyptians have in themselves, as well as the high degree of religiosity that dominates all aspects of their lives.

What does lack towards women in Egypt is respect. I taught refugees once a week in a an area of Cairo called Ain Shams, which is about an hour and half away from my house in Zamalek. The cab ride can get pricy (less than $10, but pricy when you have adapted to the currency), so usually I took the metro home since it costed 1 Egyptian pound (less than 20 cents). Each train on the metro has a car specifically designated for women. Men are not allowed in this car, although if you are a woman you are welcome to ride in the men’s car. My first time on the metro, I did not know about the women’s car, so I hopped onto the first car I found open. The train was so crowded; men, only men were pressed up onto me like sardines. And the smell, oh goodness. After a few minutes, I felt someone’s hand touching my butt; since it was so crowded, I assumed it was an accident and started to move to another wall of the train. I realized the man who had been grabbing me was following me as I moved around the train, his hand on my butt the whole time with the most innocent look on his face. Had this happened at the end of my residency in Cairo, he may have received a good punch in the face and some rude Arabic words; but since I was new to the city and unsure of my boundaries, I remained quiet, and his hand remained on my rear.

From then on I rode in the women’s car.

Rachel Tobias is a junior at the University of Southern California, majoring in International Relations and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Rachel has had the privilege to travel to many different regions of the world, and is fluent in Spanish with a developing proficiency in Arabic. She is interested in working in international development in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East once graduated from college. Stay on the lookout for the fall issue of Al Jamiat to hear more about her experience abroad.

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One of the greatest perks about studying abroad is the experiences students receive for the first time. Whether it would be your first time eating an apple pie, attending a rock concert, or seeing an amazing landmark.  Here at Al Jamiat, we are interested in hearing about your firsts and what they were like!

Shaheed Sabrin is a senior at USC School of Theatre, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Entrepreneurship with the USC Marshal School of Business. He was last Spring’s recipient of the Jack Nicholsan Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Actor and hopes to one day open a restaurant for his mother.

My first… time seeing the great pyramids of Giza

My first time seeing the great pyramids of Giza was such a rewarding and educational experience. I arrived in Egypt on my birthday, August 22nd, which was also the start of Ramadan. I contemplated not going with my University mates for the trip, but then realized the best time to go was with my school’s guided tour. I braced myself and overcame scorching summer heat in the midst of keeping my fast. As our bus approached the raised area of Giza, I stared in awe, wondering what genius went into constructing this massive structure of and all the history behind it. As soon as I stepped off the bus I was bombarded my children trying to sell me postcards for 5 Egyptian Pounds. Then, as I approached the entrance of the pyramids people tried hustling me into getting a 250 Egyptian Pound camel ride for only 2 minutes. I dismissed everything and headed straight for the pyramids.

Since the guards could tell I had some Egyptian in me, they rushed me to the front of the line where I approached a dark and humid entryway. My whole way up was extremely claustrophobic as the passage was narrow, but when I reached one of the areas that one of the tombs were held in, I took a breath of excitement. As I headed back down the pyramid, I made a promise to myself that I would not leave Egypt without knowing the significance behind Egypt’s fascinating monuments. Most of all, the great pyramids of  Giza inspired me to not just live in Egypt as a tourist, but as a student of the land, journeying into the unknown and educating myself all throughout the semester.

Interested in sharing your first experience?

Email allizon@al-jamiat.com with your story and see how you can contribute to the “My first…” feature!

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cc nimble photography

The idea of not being prepared or not knowing can be frightening. The world today relies heavily on Internet resources and it’s crucial to know them. There are multiple online sites that can really make your life easier. And while you’re transitioning into a new country and school, anything that could possibly make life simpler will be needed!

Here is a list of the top two sites for online calendars, music players, photo editors, and scholar search engines, all of which were resources I used non-stop as a college student.

Online Calendars: There is no option, you need a calendar/planner in college is you want to stay onto of your game. I suggest using an online calendar to organize class schedules, office hours, due dates, and meetings. It can start getting confusing if you don’t remember when and where you are supposed to be.

Google Calendar

30Boxes

Scholar Search Engines: Students write a lot of papers in college, so be prepared for tons of researching. Using a scholar search engine will provide you with scholarly literature that is more trustworthy and reliable than articles found with a normal search engine.

CrossRef

Google Scholar

Music Library/Player: If you are not the type of person to buy multiple songs from iTunes but still want to listen to good music, I suggest using an online music library or player. Playing music can do wonders for you. It helps some students work more productively and get in a better mood.

Grove Shark

Pandora

Photo Editor: Taking pictures is second nature while in college, and uploading them to Facebook is the obvious next step. Having an online picture editor is always handy to have around. You can use it for adding a fun effect to a picture of you and your friends, hiding that pimple you wish was never there, or straightening a tilted picture because your mom can’t hold the camera right.

Picnik

Phixr

Do you have any websites you can’t live without? Share what sites are the most helpful for you!

Allizon Munoz is a junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

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Reasons to drive

There is poor public transportation at your university
You can be reliable on yourself
Having the leisure of going places on your own time and schedule
You plan on traveling to nearby attractions (road trips!)
You just love driving

Reasons NOT to drive

It will take time to study and take all tests
Paying for the actual license
Paying for a vehicle
Paying for gas
Paying for school parking
Basically, a whole lot of paying for things
The public transportation at your university is reliable and efficient
It is environmentally better to be car-less

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Allizon Munoz is a junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

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Upromise – Upromise offers a unique way to save money for college. Users can earn up to 8 percent on restaurant purchases, up to 25 percent on online purchases, and up to 10 percent on grocery and drugstore purchases. Earned money can be put into a savings account or 529 plan or directly reimbursed with a check.

Student Advantage – This student discount card program helps students save on food, travel, school supplies and more. The card is accepted by hundreds of colleges, universities, and campus organizations and thousands of national chains and local stores.

Student Savings Club – Designed specifically for college and university students, this student savings club provides discounts that can be used at local and national businesses. Discounts are available for restaurants, fast food, entertainment, travel, school supplies, and much more.

STA Travel – STA Travel is the world’s largest student travel agency. The company offers discounts on airfare, care rentals, hotel stays, insurance, cell service, and more.

CouponMom – CouponMom is a great place to find printable grocery coupons and restaurant coupons. The site is also a good source of coupon codes for department stores, home improvement stores, computer stores, and more.

FatWallet.com – FatWallet.com is a community of savvy shoppers who share deals and coupons over the web. The site can also be used to compare prices on millions of products.

Feed the Pig – Feed the Pig is a non-profit site that was created to help individuals between the ages of 25 and 34 take control of their personal finances. Site resources include free savings tips, savings tools, and community forums.

Campus Tech – Campus Tech has partnered with numerous companies, such as Barnes and Noble, Google, Adobe, and Microsoft, to help students save money on everything from books and backpacks to computer hardware and software.

Zilok – Zilok is an online marketplace that can be used to locate anything you want to rent. Site users can rent almost anything imaginable, including cars, apartments, vacation spots, electronics, DVDs, event supplies, and tools.

PriceGrabber – Considered the leader in online comparison shopping, PriceGrabber allows users to compare prices on everything from books and electronics to clothing and furniture. The site also provides a back-to-school shopping guide.

BookMooch – BookMooch is a great place to save money on reading material. The site allows users to exchange books they no longer want for books they need.

eCampus.com – This site offers up to 90 percent savings on college textbooks. eCampus.com visitors can choose to either rent or buy textbooks and can later return the books for cash when they are no longer needed.

Cengage Brain – In addition to selling and renting entire textbooks, Cengage Brain also allows students to purchase single chapters. eChapters can be purchased for as little as $1.99 each.

Textbook Revolt – Textbook Revolt is a student-to-student textbook renting site. Users can compare rental rates, rent the books they need, and return books at the end of the semester for free.

CourseSmart – College and university students can save up to 50 percent on their textbook purchases by buying digital textbooks from CourseSmart. Textbooks can be read on the computer, an iPhone, or an iPad.

Textbook Revolution – Textbook Revolution is a student-run site that provides links to free textbooks and select educational materials. The goal of the site is to get free textbooks into classrooms so that college students can save money on school supplies.

BIGWORDS – This search engines makes it easy to compare prices on textbooks, books, DVDs, music, and games. BIGWORDS searches multiple stores, compares prices, and shows you where you can get the best deal on the item you are looking for. The average shopper saves $70 per textbook.

Public Library Locator – This U.S. Department of Education site offers a unique search engine that can be used to locate public libraries in your area. Public libraries are a good place to find free books, music, and movies.

Mint – Mint is a popular online finance service that helps users establish a budget, track expenses, reduce debt, track investments, and more. The service also offers a blog and advice on paying off students loans, using credit cards, buying a car, and saving for retirement.

Bob’s Budget Planner – Scotland’s Building Society provides free budgeting software that is easy to download and use. The software works well for tracking weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual income and expenditures.

Karen Schweitzer is an education writer who specializes in writing about business education. She is the Business School Guide for About.com. She also writes about pharmacy technician education for PharmacyTechnicianCertification.com.

Image by: voobie (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinish/3226484450/sizes/m/)

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The time is drawing near to begin preparing for school to start.  One of the best ways to make your transition to school enjoyable is by actually being excited about your plans!  Some may say they are about to leave everything they know, their comfort zone, but great things are coming their way.  One of the best things students can do is channel their nerves into excitement, and having school spirit is a great way to do just that!

School spirit is the pride you have for your university.  It shows others where you attend and why you are so proud to be there.  Having school spirit will provide a more positive atmosphere not just for yourself, but for your campus as well.  You form a special connection with your school and other students when you truly have school pride.

So how can you have school spirit?

Wear the gear. Get t-shirts, sweatshirts, lanyards, etc.  You can usually find these at your school’s book store and sometime they are even available for purchase online.  If you would rather not buy them, make them!  A great idea is to have a get-together with friends, maybe before a football game, and make your own shirts with iron-ons or fabric paint.  You’ll be creating something to wear all year long and great memories at the same time!

Display the logo. Make posters, buy stickers, or keep fliers with your school’s name or logo on them and add them to your desk, car, or dorm walls.  Simple and easy!

Tell the people you meet. It is effortless to say, “Hi! I’m (your name), a student at (university name).”  If you really love your school and want to represent them well, make them part of you.  When you mention what school you attend in your introduction, the other person will know you must be proud to be there.

Add it online. Post it, write it, blog it, or tweet it.  It is simple to add to your “About Me” sections on social media pages where you attend school.

Families can show spirit too! Get your family into the school spirit.  When they support you, it will help ease the nerves and fears of moving away.  When they have school spirit too, it really makes a difference!

And remember your loyalty and pride to your university should also reflect on the organizations you become involved in.  Whether it be a fraternity or local school organization, always be proud of everything you involve yourself in!

Allizon Munoz is a proud junior at Ohio Dominican University studying Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. She serves as the 2010-2011 Ohio Dominican PRSSA President and Vice President of Professional Activities for Delta Sigma Pi Omicron Tau.  Connect with her here: http://card.ly/allizonmunoz

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