<p>Should I live in the Dorms or get an apartment?</p>
<p>I'm kinda antisocial and I've heard of people having really horrible experiences in dorms. Plus, I'd have to take out a loan to live in the dorms.</p>
<p>Pros:
Less walking to class
Might break out of anti social shell</p>
<p>Cons:
Could have a horrible experience
will have to take out a loan
The dorms are very expensive!</p>
<p>Can I get some feedback on the situation? Thank you.</p>
<p>When you say “antisocial,” do you really mean shy? From your description, it sounds like you’re just shy and not hostile towards society ;)</p>
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<p>Source: [Antisocial</a> - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary](<a href=“http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antisocial]Antisocial”>Antisocial Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster)</p>
<p>While the above seems nit picky, my reason for addressing it is legitimate. If you truly are antisocial, then that would change what would be the best situation for you. Someone who is antisocial should probably not be living in a dorm situation. Someone who is shy could possibly benefit from it, but do not expect to suddenly be a social butterfly with lots of friends. You could still be “alone in a crowd” (forgive the cliche). You would have to make effort to make friends. But, like how some excel at learning a language when thrown into the middle of it, perhaps you would excel at overcoming being shy if thrown into a dorm situation :)</p>
<p>I will base this next on the assumption that you mean shy:</p>
<p>Depending on the size of your campus and the availability (and cost!) of parking, you might be better off living on campus. Perhaps just give it a shot for one year to see how you like it. I double major myself and between my very early morning literature classes and my late night theatre obligations, being on campus is not just convenient, it’s a safety issue. However, my campus is also in the middle of a redwood forest, so it is pretty neat to live here even if it is among the most expensive campuses to live on in the US.</p>
<p>If money is a huge concern, go with off-campus. I still think a year would be good to get you situated and into the flow of things without having to worry about transportation to campus, but I more than understand money is a huge factor.</p>
<p>Now, if you really do mean antisocial, that’s a whole other horse of a different color. I would say if you could not get into a single room on campus, then an off campus apartment might serve your emotional needs better.</p>
<p>In your terms, I’m not anti social but shy. </p>
<p>The main thing I’m thinking about now is the loan. If I take out loans to live in the dorms, then I’ll be neck deep in debt by the time grad school rolls around. I would like to make it by without a loan til grad school. I guess that’s something to think about.</p>
<p>don’t even think about taking out a loan to live in a dorm.</p>
<p>Glad you told me that. However, that’s the only way if I’m going to live in the dorms. My financial aid won’t cover it. I was leaning toward a rental and now am leaning even more.</p>
<p>Not my terms, but rather a dictionary definition. Antisocial is also a recognized mental disorder. I’m not even playing with semantics here, just wanting to be clear what you mean so I can better give my thoughts :)</p>
<p>How much debt will you be in? What is the cost difference between an apartment off campus and a dorm on campus? Are there apartments on campus available? What’s the minimum meal plan you have to buy? Do you even have to buy a meal plan? How are you going to afford an apartment off campus?</p>
<p>Although yes, it is extremely wise to take as little to no debt if you are planning on grad school, the federal stafford loans are not that terrible to take on (they also limit you on how much you can borrow per year based on class standing anyways). They have extremely low interest rates. And if you are lucky enough to be able to get some of the loan as subsidized, that’s even better.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this will make you feel any better, but I’m currently paying $15,000 for my tiny little dorm room on campus. That is considered a continuing student discount, too (would have cost me an additional $900 based on this year’s rate otherwise). For me, the price is worth it, but it may not be for you.</p>
<p>I’d say run the current numbers to get a rough idea of what sort of debt you’d be in (spreadsheets are your friends). My personal opinion is that it might serve you well getting accustomed to campus life if you live on campus at least your first year, but this might not be what you decide is right for you. You just need to find what is the happy middle ground between financial stability and mental/emotional stability :)</p>
<p>EDIT: By the way, if you’ve been talking this whole time about a private loan, then yes: do not take on any private loans. Federal loans: okay. Private loans: not okay.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ll also talk to my parents about it. Thank you. :)</p>
<p>Good luck! I really hope you are able to find which situation is best for you on both financial and emotional fronts 
I empathize with the shy thing very much so! And the worry about money!</p>
<p>I was going to a small community college on the Oregon coast. I found a family very close to the school who rented out a room for $300. (I got a private bathroom too), but they were a very dysfunctional family, fights always, screaming babies… police coming over, and it was not sanitary to live there. they had like 3 cats who would poop on the foor, and they’s just let it sit there and dry up. Also, there was mold everywhere. I lived there for 8 months, and had to go to the ER about 4 times for the diseases I got. (which destroyed my credit). Then I made arrangements to move into the dorms, but I had too many credits. I only needed 12 lab science credits to get my AA, but taking those would require me to stay a year… so FA would not pay for anything except those credits… so the only way I could stay would be to take outw a loan… I told them “no way” (maybe for a master degree, but not for an associate degree). so I came back to montana and lived with my brother for a year to get in-state residency, and tomorrow I go to orientation at the university of montana.</p>