Off Campus Living: What did I get myself into?

As stated in the previous blogs, living off campus is not an easy feat. Sometimes living off campus can have the same hardships as living on campus. While walking in the University Lane Center, I spotted Garfield Lampkin, a senior and political science major at Frostburg State University. Knowing that he lived off campus and had his share of run-ins with terrible roommates, I decided to interview him about how he liked living off campus. After being asked how he enjoyed living off campus so far, Garfield shook his head and said, “Let me just say this, I have had a few bad roommates in my short time living off campus. None of my roommates take out the trash or wash the dishes, and they always have their girlfriends over.” By his facial expressions, one could see Garfield was becoming upset the more he answered the question. Even though one might know his roommate, it does not always work out the way it should. Sitting near Garfield was Jocelyn Mathews Clemons, a senior political science major at Frostburg State University who was also asked the same question. She responded, “I really like living off campus. Me and my roommate have been friends for a while and we have lived together for a while too. We know when to give each other space and when we can come in each other’s rooms. We both take turns washing dishes, buying groceries, and taking out the trash so we never have any conflict.” Unlike Garfield, Jocelyn has had a great experience living off campus. Jocelyn and her roommate get along because they have a good friendship and understand how to give each other space. Sitting across from Garfield and Jocelyn was Lavan Sauls, a junior engineering major at Frostburg State University. Lavan had a similar experience as Jocelyn. When asked the question of how has she enjoyed living off campus so far Lavan responded, “I love it! My roommates and I get along very well and we always share the duties around the house.” A few seconds later, she said, “except for the landlords. Some of my landlords were over bearing and annoying. They always stopped by the house to make sure nothing illegal was going on. This made me feel like I was living on campus again trying to make sure I didn’t get written up by my RA.” While Lavan enjoyed living off campus, her landlords often ruined her experience. As one could see, living off campus is not always the best option. Sometimes the experience of living off campus could make you miss living on campus and sometimes this may be a better option. Consider Garfield, Lavan, and Jocelyn’s experiences and make the smart decision.