Choosing whether to live on or off campus for your sophomore year can be a big decision. While there are many upsides to living off campus, the convenience of living on campus is unbeatable.

The ability to walk to each class without the worry of traffic or parking is a huge stress relief. This convenience is a major factor students consider when deciding where to live after moving out of the dorms.

Charley Harris, a psychology sophomore living on campus, enjoys the convenience of getting to class without having to worry about driving. The chaotic state of campus on game days, though, is a disadvantage, Harris noted.

Susan Ragusa, a psychology junior, lives off campus in an apartment. Echoing Harris’s sentiments, she said the biggest downside of living off campus is the “difficult and time consuming” process of driving to campus and finding parking.

While convenience is the main upside to living on campus, the biggest benefit to living off campus is being able to pick where you want to be and having the freedom to express yourself through your living space. 

“I love having my own space and being able to make it my own and customize it to my personality,” Ragusa said.

The upsides of both can be persuading, and it’s up to each student to choose which is more important. 

Peter Trentacoste, executive director of Residential Life, made his pitch for students to stay on campus. 

“The convenience of being on campus can’t be matched,” he said.

Trentacoste said that having no traffic living on campus allows you to take the guesswork out of your commute. And if you live in a residential college, you may even be able to attend tutoring and classes inside your dorm, he said.

He said living on campus provides students a great advantage because of the convenience. 

But there are downsides to consider. Living on campus means having room checks and not being able to feel like the room is truly yours, especially if you have to share the room. 

Off-campus student living choices are plentiful and range in price, each having their own list of amenities. You can have your own bedroom and bathroom, along with a shared kitchen and living room, and you decorate however you’d like. 

Ultimately, if you’re worried about convenience, stay on campus. Traffic ranges daily, meaning you have to leave early for everything if you live off campus, and game day traffic is miserable. Living on campus, you can walk to every class and to each tailgate or game. 

And if you’d prefer your own space, living off campus is the better option. In dorms, you normally have to share rooms and bathrooms. You have a communal oven and laundry room, so you have to share with a lot of people and sometimes have to wait. In on-campus apartments, you’re subject to checks and school rules about decorating. Off-campus apartments can have more freedom and independence than living at school. 

As you weigh your housing options for next year, keep these factors in mind. You may find yourself missing the convenience of campus living.

Kate Beske is a journalism sophomore from Destrehan.