Resident? Commuter? Renter?

By:  Tabitha Torres 

I lived on campus at Salem State when I first moved to Salem in the fall of 2015. I had transferred schools and was living in a townhouse before being placed back into a dorm, much to my dismay. The room was in Marsh Hall, primarily sophomore dorm. Transferring to a new school for my junior year felt scary enough, but being put in a building with people even younger than me felt completely foreign. I was nervous about relating to people and making any friends.

Marsh Hall is fairly nice, but with all the problems that come with living in a dorm at school such as, limited bathroom space/privacy, cleanliness, loud neighbors, and rules, it still felt a bit foreign. I never had any horrible experiences living on campus, and it was a decent place to come home to. However, what I would caution anyone against is the price. With financial aid, it still cost me almost $4,000 to live in the dorms for one school year. I shared a very small room with someone, a bathroom with over twenty people on a floor, and was paying Salem State almost $500 a month for my “tuition.” This was JUST the cost for me living on campus, since my five classes and other fees were covered by financial aid.

At the end of spring 2016, I moved off campus and into an apartment in Salem. It was conveniently right across the street from one of the main classroom buildings, and less than $100 more in rent than what I was paying at school. With an apartment, though, came other expenses; electricity, gas, wifi, and other things needed for a house. Toilet paper is expensive, and I never realized that. Heating a small apartment in the winter is even more expensive. I was lucky that I received a refund check from the school both semesters that helped to cover the cost of my rent. Living across the street from my classes and friends was convenient, and I could comfortably make it work for a year. For me, it definitely beat living in a dorm again.

I would recommend living on campus for anyone who is a first or second-year student. I never got to experience the freshman dorms at Salem State, but I think they’re worthwhile if you have the means to afford it. It’s easy to make friends while living with other people, but the freedom and privacy of living off-campus is something I prefer.

Commuting from farther away is a different challenge, but can be done easily, even if you don’t have a car. Especially if you’re financially supporting yourself, it’s important to take into account which scenario you can afford, and what will make you the happiest in the long run