<p>So, I'm rather confused about whether to stay on campus or get an apartment. I actually don't mind dorms..and my parents are urging me to stay for one more year on campus, but on the other hand, it seems that so many people have moved out by their sophomore year. What's more common? For those of you who have moved into an apartment, how does your lifestyle fare, in terms of cooking/taking care of the place? And other recommendations/opinions/thoughts please :D</p>
<p>Peruse the memories/entries at:</p>
<p><a href="http://ucberkeley.livejournal.com%5B/url%5D">http://ucberkeley.livejournal.com</a></p>
<p>Well, your second year housing is guaranteed, so it's really up to you. Usually people find friends (floormates maybe) and try to get an apartment together. I hear it's not always easy to find apartments. The benefits of living off-campus is that it's quite a bit cheaper, and it's more "independent," I suppose. Plus you don't have to get dorm food although you could still get a meal plan. The benefits of living in the dorms is that it's usually closer to campus, so it's pretty convenient. The quality of the dining commons aside (varies day-to-day), it's always close. Plus living in the dorms is usually more social and better for meeting new people. So there are pros and cons. Keep in mind that second year guaranteed housing was only implemented recently so more second-years may start coming into the dorms.</p>