The Benefits and Challenges of Living Off Campus for College Students

Reporting by Sophia Suwinski

Where to live, on campus, right by campus, with family, or independently off campus is a question many college students think about before embarking on their educational journeys.

Often students choose off campus housing because it is more affordable and to not feel so close to campus.

As prices increase, though, students are struggling to make ends meet, whatever option they choose.

In my experience, living away from campus has been cheaper than living close to campus. I pay around $630 now in a shared bigger home.

Marie, who only wanted her middle name used, is a student at the University of Nevada Reno. She lives off campus as well, preferring the quiet to the loud areas near the university. She works ten hour days as a pharmacy tech to pay for her rent, groceries, gas and school.

“I decided to live off campus mainly because it’s more affordable for me,” she explained. “Rent, groceries, and utilities end up costing less than the on-campus housing fees, and I also have more control over my budget.”

She feels more independent, she says, and in charge, shaping her future through added responsibilities.

A student who chose to remain anonymous at the University of Nevada Reno, lives at home with his family, which obviously can be the cheapest option of all.

“It has been beneficial in the way that I still see my family often and I’m still able to be in the same house as them,” he said. “It is also much cheaper for me to live with my family as opposed to living by myself or with roommates on campus.”

This student works as a server to save up money and be able to pay his monthly expenses which include gas and food.

Olivia, who chose to only use her first name, is a student at the University of Nevada, who lives off campus in a house with friends. She says she has to cover just her gas and debit card, as her father is still helping her financially.

“Luckily my dad covers most of the rent and groceries so I usually only have to focus on my gas and debit which works for how much money I make,“ she said.

Although there are benefits to living off campus, students do face some challenges. They say they have to plan ahead because they often won’t be returning home for the day. All of the students I interviewed live about 15–20 minutes away from campus. This means they have to be prepared and plan ahead for long days to avoid multiple trips back and forth.

“I often have to plan in advance to make sure I get to school in time,” the student who wanted to remain anonymous said. “For very busy days where I know I won’t have time to go back home, I prepare everything I need for the day and sometimes I won’t be home for 12+ hours.”

Students that live off campus usually have a parking pass, which adds to their costs. For West Stadium, the pass is around $500 for both semesters. That alone is pretty expensive. Another option students use is paying everyday for class in the Whalen hourly garage. The price ranges from $1 — $6. You also have to plan ahead to park or you risk not finding parking or being late.

“Living off campus means I have to plan around transportation. Commuting takes extra time, and I have to be more organized about getting to class on time, especially with traffic or parking,” said Marie.

Jevin, who also wanted to go by his first name, is a senior at The University of Nevada who explained that gas is part of the challenge of living off campus but that having to buy a parking pass for the dorms and saving money on food bucks was beneficial.

“Some challenges I faced would have been gasoline and time consumption from driving. Some benefits were not buying a parking pass for the dorms, being able to go grocery shopping and save money from buying food bucks,“ he said.

He keeps to his priorities to stay financially afloat.

“I try to do things that are important first, gas is a must since it gets me to work and also to class and school events,” he said. “Then rent so I have somewhere to live, then food lasts since I can survive off of cheaper stuff that isn’t a necessity. But I would say not being able to eat healthy or sometimes having to worry about stuff like rent or gas puts stress on my mental state and will compromise my learning.”

Another student that would like to remain anonymous explained that mentally dealing with the cost of rent is the most stressful part of the equation.

“Honestly this year has been really hard on me, I pay for everything myself,” he said. “It’s really hard to balance rent with school and everything else. I pay around $700 in rent, but I am only able to work part time.”

Many students feel that they won’t be able to support themselves after they graduate college and move out on their own.

“It can be really stressful knowing that the cost of these things are going up because it can feel like I won’t be able to handle it on my own or without the financial support of another person. This is why I try to save all the money I can,” he said.

This student, studying Education and Political Science, sees himself becoming a teacher, so he knows the road ahead might have similar challenges since starting salaries can be low.

“The rising cost of rent, gas, and groceries takes a real mental toll on me,” said Marie who shares this feeling of continuous mental stress.

“It feels like no matter how carefully I budget or how many hours I work, everything keeps getting more expensive. Sometimes it makes me anxious, because I’m constantly worried about whether I’ll be able to cover everything. It can feel overwhelming carrying that responsibility alone, but I just take it day by day and remind myself that I’m doing the best I can with what I have.”

Reporting and photos by Sophia Suwinski shared with the Reynolds Sandbox