Is moving off-campus right for you?

Dorm life is one of Notre Dame’s most unique characteristics. Yet approximately half of Notre Dame seniors decide to move to off-campus housing, and a small but growing number of juniors are electing to move out of the dorms as well.

Is moving off campus right for you? As an off-campus junior, I looked at six of the biggest factors that go into the age-old question of on vs. off.

Location, location, location

This is probably the biggest difference between on and off-campus living, and the biggest reason so many people choose to stay on. From your dorm, most of your classes will be a 5 to 15-minute walk away. Off campus, that walk increases to anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. If you’re lucky enough to have a car here, driving to class from your off-campus residence is always an option as well, but this raises the question of parking. The D lot by the Burke golf course and the C lot behind the football stadium are the lesser of many evils, and during our brutal South Bend winters, getting your car out from under the snow and ice is more of a game of chance rather than a given.

On: 1 // Off: 0

(Advantage: Dorms)

$$$

On-campus room and board costs nearly $14,000 per year (this includes 14 meals a week). However, depending on distance to campus, quality of living space, and amenities offered, most off-campus residences can cost anywhere between $500 and $900 per month. While this does not include a meal plan, almost any option you choose (from continuing to rely heavily on the dining hall to going cold turkey and cooking every meal for yourself in your new, spacious kitchen) will shake out to be cheaper than the cost of room and board on campus. So while the costs will differ for every off-campus student, it’s virtually guaranteed to be significantly cheaper than living in the dorms.

On: 1 // Off: 1

(Advantage: Off-campus)

Community (Standards)

The dorm community and the “stay hall” system is truly one of the most special things about Notre Dame. Our single-sex residence halls are Notre Dame’s answer to state schools’ Greek system; we get all the storied tradition, sense of community, and fun perks of a fraternity or sorority house without any of the pressure and drama of rushing or hazing. Most people make their very closest friends in their dorm, and it’s awesome to really get to know all the people in your section, regardless of age or class year.

If you choose to live off campus, you will only get to live with a couple of your handpicked best friends; while this is a wonderful thing that will help to bring you all much closer, it could also mean seeing your other friends a lot less than you would if you had chosen to stay in the dorms.

On: 2 // Off: 1

(Advantage: Dorms)

Living in the lap of luxury

Pretty much wherever you choose to live off campus, you will have air conditioning, your own bedroom and bathroom, a kitchen, and a much larger living space. And regardless of how “close” and “tight-knit” the cramped quarters of a Dillon hall quad might make you and your brothers feel, I think everyone could agree that the spacious options offered by the off-campus residences here just can’t be beat.

 On: 2 // Off: 2

(Advantage: Off-campus)

Sustenance

The subject of food is one of the biggest concerns that all mothers of college students have about allowing their children to move off campus. The good news: even if you live off-campus, you can still register for a variety of meal plans ranging from 25 meals per semester to the full 14 meals per week. And if you’re like most and can’t wait to get away from the dining hall as fast as humanly possible (read: those who enjoy cooking), you’ll have much better access to a kitchen than you would in your dorm.

Dorm: 2 // Off: 3

(Advantage: Off-campus)

Partay time

There’s no denying that the hot, sweaty, awkward atmosphere of dorm parties is simply unrivaled. But living off campus allows for far more fun and relaxed social gatherings with more space, no supervision from hall staff, and of course no 2 a.m. parietals. (Although according to ND policy, duLac does technically follow you off campus…do with this information what you will.) The only downsides of hosting off-campus parties are having to take care of the post-party clean up (although this would apply to the residents of the dorm-party common room as well) and that it will be slightly more difficult for guests to get to your place and then back to Taco Bell once the night is through–but hey, that’s what Uber is for, right?

On: 2 // Off: 4

(Advantage: Off-campus)

There you have it, folks; final score: On: 2, Off: 4. Of course, this doesn’t mean that moving off campus is right for everyone–every student is different, and everyone will need to make the housing decision that is right for them. Other factors not discussed in this article include safety (both options are incredibly safe, just a matter of personal preference) and family situation (if you have a sibling already off-campus, etc). Ultimately, we are lucky to go to a school where both and on- and off-campus living provide many excellent benefits that are sure to make your years at Notre Dame unforgettable.