Freshmen Should Be Required to Live in the Dorms - Essay Example

As well as Studies show, students who live on campus perform better academically than students living at home, said Michael Coakley, associate dean of student affairs and executive director of housing. Coakley added “National and institutional studies have continually shown that students who live in school housing for their first year of study have significantly higher retention rates, graduates according to the school calendar, and have greater involvement in campus life,” Campus housing not only provides academic and social benefit to the freshmen but also has advantages of free and available food, just like home even though it does not taste good like home food, but at least they know they have available ready-made food when needed.

Also, there is a warm place to live, sleep, study and save, oppose to the student who stay outside campus, they will have to balance between studies and household chores like buying and cooking food, and paying bills i.e. electricity, water. One cannot serve two masters at a time (studies vs. household chores); therefore, freshmen students should live in campus in order to save resources like money and use it for something else like business, clothing, partying, or donations. Living outside campus especially as a freshman, students miss campus life experiences like dorms offer support and learning experiences, in such a way students who wants to study late in the libraries can do so, without worrying about taxi, train fares, or security like mugged, raped, or worse murdered on the way home.

I believe living at school makes one socially prepared for life since they will be able to learn to be independent away from their parents, meet many people with a common interest as theirs, above all a friend a person make in college will often be friends for life. Living in campus will also allow them to join extra curriculum activities like clubs and sports, which allow students to step out from their comfort zone and experience new interest giving room for social connection and bonding. Though, many students complain about overcrowding in dorms, annoying roommates, noises and denial of freedom, freshmen are young adults, and they need to know that in every institution globally there are different individuals with different personalities, beliefs and cultures.

Therefore, in order to survive, they need to deal with different people and situation. Nevertheless, rules are everywhere to be followed. Young people need rules, which remind them of their misleading acts, being shown where to live is not some kind of juvenile treatment and lack of freedom to choose, but on the brighter side, it works like a charm by reducing financial hardship to students who came from other states or under scholarships/ bursaries. Students should live in their dormitories during the first year because it allows them to network with other students easily.

It has been proven through various social science studies that students with strong networking skills prove to be more successful in their careers as opposed to independent or isolated individuals. Networking also provides students with skills on problem solving and decision making in issues they face in life. Therefore, to obtain knowledge for lifelong success individuals need to live with career-oriented colleagues. The disadvantages of campus housing are some students may be