Living off-campus during freshmen year?!

<p>I was originally offered a guaranteed transfer spot an Bing back in May but then I recently got a letter from the shcool that I can actually transfer to there for spring 2010. I decided I would go for the spring. But I soon figured out that dorming is often a lot more expensive than living off-campus so I was just thinking I should live off-campus though not many freshmen do so. I asked many friends at Bing, one(freshman) living on-campus and two(seniors) living off-campus and they sort of suggested me I should dorm. They said I won't be able to make many friends, if not at all, if I'll be living off-campus as a freshman transfer. My parents, however, may want me to live off-campus cheaply because of their not-so-good financial situation and I originally thought it won't really matter that much as long as I put "education" as my first priority of going to Binghamton. I'm not really sure though.... will I be ever able to make friends even if I decide not to live in dorms? Do people really tend to be close in dorms than in classes??</p>

<p>first of all, i don’t know that you’ll have a choice –</p>

<p>

[Binghamton</a> University - Residential Life - Future Students - Who Lives on Campus](<a href=“http://reslife.binghamton.edu/future-students/oncampus-eligibility.html]Binghamton”>http://reslife.binghamton.edu/future-students/oncampus-eligibility.html)</p>

<p>second of all, even if you have a choice i would strongly urge you to live on campus. there is a lot to adjust to going to college. personally, i don’t think caring for an apt and mastering the bus schedule should be among the things you need to deal with right away. in addition, socially – it will be much easier to meet people – not just in your dorm – but living on campus will make it much easier to participate in clubs – if you live off campus - would you really come back to campus at night to go to a meeting? also there are academic resources on campus you are more likely to take advantage of if you are on campus – see - [Binghamton</a> University - Discovery](<a href=“http://www2.binghamton.edu/discovery/]Binghamton”>http://www2.binghamton.edu/discovery/) – there are discovery centers and disovery advisors on campus.</p>

<p>live on campus – then if economics still encourage you off campus after a semester, you are more likely to know other people to live with, you are more likely to be involved in groups on campus, you are more likely to have gotten your academic bearings, you are more likely to be familiar with areas off campus.</p>

<p>Also, bear in mind that the apartments in the area that are actually significantly cheaper than dorms are probably going to be in pretty bad areas. There are some really nasty parts of Binghamton that I would not want to live in if I could at all avoid it.</p>

<p>thanks! I called the admissions office today and they said since I’m still a freshman, I must live on-campus…!</p>

<p>The only way in which you would be able to not live on campus as a freshman is if you live within 50 miles of the University and choose to live at home and commute each day.</p>