With the cost of living on campus steadily increasing and an abundance of rules and regulations to abide by, many students see living off campus as an attractive alternative.For the past several years the cost of living on campus has risen, and many feel that the increase cannot be justified.
Sophomore Whitney Walker said, “For the past two years that I’ve lived on campus rent has increased and the Village has nothing to show for it. We still have the same old problems and no resolutions. I have encountered so many problems living in the Village that next semester I have made plans to move elsewhere.”
Students who reside on campus must also comply with many rules and regulations, as outlined in their leases with American Campus Communities. Residents are restricted on what they are allowed to have in their rooms and visitation, just to name a few.
Because of these issues associated with living on the yard, the off campus alternative has become extremely popular with Prairie View students. Recently, several apartment complexes, duplexes, and town homes have been built in surrounding communities just minutes away from Prairie View such as Waller, Hempstead, and other nearby cities.
Junior Stephanie Rufus, who is a commuter, said, “I enjoy living off campus because it offers a huge sense of freedom. I don’t have rules to follow like when I lived in University Village, and the rent in my apartment complex doesn’t increase every semester.”
While the off campus option may offer students more freedom than those living on campus, on campus residents enjoy a wide array of services that commuters do not, campus residents also have access to programs and activities offered by University Village.
Senior Erica Macintosh said, “The decision to live on or off campus depends on the individual student. I would strongly recommend that freshmn students live in University College because it helps in the transition from high school to college. When a student is a sophomore living on campus it is good because they get to experience living in University Village. However, the older a student gets, the more likely they are to want to move off campus.