<p>I've been having trouble deciding if I should dorm next year in college or not. I am a high school senior this year, and the college I'm attending is basically 10 minute bike ride from my house, even less by car. I know how most people say that dorming will allow me to meet new people and experience something new, but I also don't think the $11,000 a year is worth it, especially when I live so close to campus. Living so close means I don't have to go home right after class or something, and I'm sure I can meet people in classes and clubs as well. I have several friends attending the same college, so it's not like I'm going to be starting out not knowing anyone. Will living at home while this close to campus really have that much of an impact on me?</p>
<p>I'm not a commuter, but there are many threads started by commuters that thought they'd meet a ton of people in clubs and classes, and it didn't work out. I'm not saying these people are antisocial and isolated, but the college experience isn't living up to the hype for them, because they are missing out on dorm life. It's not fabulous all the time, but you meet all kinds of people, you do things how and when YOU want, and you just feel more like you're moving on from high school and being a kid. $11,000 a year is a lot-way more than I pay-I know, but you should seriously consider living on campus if your parents will pay for it. If they won't, then that's a different story, but if they will then you should think about it. </p>
<p>BTW, can I ask what the appeal was of going to a school SOOOO close to home was anyway? It doesn't really sound like money was keeping you so close, so what is it?</p>
<p>Well, I was originally considering going to schools farther away such as UCSD and UCB, but for UCSD I didn't get into my first choice major and UCB I was admitted to spring semester (not fall). So that's why I decided to just go with UCD. Though the vast majority of freshman live on campus at UCD, most live off campus after their freshmen years, so I was thinking that it might not have as big of an impact than if half or the majority of students live on campus. Thanks for the input though, and would appreciate any other thoughts on this</p>
<p>UCD... heck, unless you're gonna get into the honors dorms or some equally nice new dorm, i wouldn't say it's worth it. i have two friends there. one guy is in a double the size of a shoebox, and his suitemates enjoy parties/drinking/girls/noise etc. plus he almost fell out his window making his lofted bed (his body went halfway though... he's on the third floor btw). ok so he's a klutz, but still xD
the other guy didn't even get a dorm on campus. he's a mile away in a university apartment thingy. so even that isn't a true dorm experience, at all. i'd say the fact that you're SO close may actually give you advantages over people like him!
all that money isn't worth it, in your case. you're so close to the campus it's not like you're really facing a commute home, so you're free to chill and hang out in your friends' dorms without feeling like you're missing out at home. and you WILL make friends- hell join the marching band like one of my friends, if you need an instant group of people that you can always be around ;)
judging from what i've seen of the davis dorms... $11k isn't worth savin 5 minutes to get to class, and living with 1-3 other people, and maybe not even getting a true dorm experience in the first place.</p>
<p>UCD.. if you live THAT close to campus, totally just live at home & save your money. You could only live in the dorms your first year only anyway, after that you'd either have to move back home or into an apartment/rental house. You'll still meet people in your classes, and unless your parents are going to enforce an early curfew, you won't be missing out on social fun.</p>
<p>I live out by mace/cowell now, so it's quite a ways from campus. One of my good friends lives in Vacaville with his parents, and my boyfriend lives in Citrus Heights with his parents - all to save money.</p>