Students living on campus at MSU are often united by a common thread: Convenience.
Whether it's the short distance to classes, the hot meals in dining halls or the abundance of opportunities to meet new people, living in residence halls affords students a level of convenience that off-campus housing can't match. The level of practicality is so high that some students choose to stay on campus for their entireMSU career.
Marketing junior Erin McGrath lived in Snyder Hall as a freshman at MSU and has lived in Shaw Hall for the last two years. She chose to live in Shaw because it's right in the middle of campus.
"It's a great location," McGrath said. "I'm a business student, so I just go right next door. I've got a three-hour break between classes, and I like the fact that I can come back to my room rather than going to the library or something."
Theater senior Jameson Shroyer also has lived on campus since he first came to MSU. He has lived in Holmes, Shaw, and Mason halls and now lives in a single room in Phillips Hall. Shroyer cited his preference for eating in dining halls as a main factor in his decision to continue living in the residence halls.
"It's nice not having to cook because it takes a lot of time," Shroyer said. "I eat four or five times a day."
Though on-campus housing offers many conveniences, there are some downsides. Residence hall life can be distracting, especially at night, Shroyer said.
"I don't like all the ads I get under my door and I could do without the drunks in the hall at 2 a.m.," Shroyer said.
The convenience of residence halls also comes at the expense of privacy. Students living in double rooms, such as no preference freshman and Wonders Hall resident Stephanie Barth, have to share their space with another person. That is one of the reasons why Barth said she is planning to move off campus next fall.
"I just want my own space and my own stuff," Barth said. "I don't want to have to worry about disrupting other people."
McGrath said she would enjoy having her own space if she lived off campus, but the commute to classes, especially during the winter, wouldn't be worth the trouble.
"If I lived in some place like (Chandler Crossings), it'd be really hard to get motivated and get to class," McGrath said.
Parking can also be a concern for on-campus residents. Parking lots are often a far walk from residence halls and freshmen aren't allowed to have vehicles on campus.
However, the parking issues aren't as bad as they might seem for some students. Shroyer said he parks his car in the commuter lot, but only drives it on weekends. He said he doesn't worry about the security of the parking lot, either.
"I don't worry, I don't care," Shroyer said. "I don't have a problem with it."
For all its faults, living on campus is still preferable to students looking for convenience, Barth said.
"There are always people around to eat with, or get help with homework from, or just hang out with," she said.
