By KateMarie Boccone
One of NYU’s most distinctive traits is its lack of a central campus. Sprawled across Greenwich Village, NYU doesn’t exactly have a quad, and its residence halls hardly resemble other blasé college dorms. However, just because NYU dorms are unique, you don’t even have to live in them. Even as a Freshmen.
As a freshman here at NYU, I decided to live off campus. The decision, while coming with additional responsibilities, has proven to be one I am incredibly happy with. Here’s a few reasons why first years at NYU should consider off campus housing:
>Kitchen
The freedom to cook your own food is a precious one that can also keep you healthy, and many freshmen dorms are “traditional style” with no kitchen. When you have a kitchen with all your own food, you’re less likely to default to fast food. Cooking can also be a great outlet for stress, especially as part of a regular routine. Having access to food at home can also help you pack up for the day ahead of time, saving you a few minutes you might otherwise have to spend at the dining hall. Plus NYU meal plans are really expensive, especially when you consider how much you pay per meal.
>Space
Living off campus gives you a better chance of having your own bedroom. No matter how awesome your roommate is, having a door to close can be a great tool. It’s especially useful when studying, on nights when you’re bringing home company, or when the world has been a bit unkind and you need to curl up with Netflix, a stuffed bear, and no one else.
>Manhattan is loud. Not everywhere else is.
When choosing the location of your housing, you can move to a more residential area. This makes going home at the end of the day more relaxing, ensures you get more rest, and prevents you from being distracted by everything that’s happening right outside your door. You can think of your home as a haven, instead of just another loud bit of NYC.
>Culture
New York City isn’t only NYU in Washington Square. Living off campus, especially if you try another borough, can expose you to different sides of NYC you otherwise might miss. It can also help keep you grounded when the go-go-go culture of Manhattan starts to dictate your life. Just try not to gentrify like an asshole, please.
>Commutes help you wake up
If you have to get on a train to go to school, you’re less likely to stop by your dorm at lunch for a nap that runs into your afternoon classes. Commutes make you get up and out of bed, and stay out of bed for most of the day. While kind of a pain in the ass, a long train ride can be a great opportunity to read a book, or the reading you never do for class.
>Cost
NYU housing is VERY expensive. Renting in NYC in general is expensive, but if you look hard and are willing to live pretty far from campus, living off campus can be a much more affordable option than the dorms. There are added costs to living off campus: you have to find your own place, pay monthly rent, possibly pay extra for electricity and wifi, wash dishes, walk down the block to do laundry, buy furniture, deal with your landlord, deal other humans in a living environment where you are responsible for your actions, and learn to keep a schedule that gets you to class. Ultimately, for me, those costs are minimal compared to the benefits of my own peace and quiet. I encourage first years considering NYU to look into living off campus.
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