With 32,579 undergraduate students and a campus of over 4,500 acres, the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign has endless living possibilities, but a common question students ponder is whether it is worth it to make the move off campus.

Khader Doleh, a junior in AHS, decided to make the move and is living off-campus in an Urbana apartment.

“I have so much more freedom,” Doleh said. “I am able to cook whatever I want to eat and entertain whenever I please. I also have more space and my own bathroom.”

Despite these perks, many of the students at the university opt to live in one of the on campus houses, apartments and Greek houses.

Most freshmen choose to live in the dorms located around campus. Most are equipped with dining halls and are within walking distance to the Main Quad.

“I decided to live in the dorms because I wanted to meet new people,” Harry Laible, freshman in DGS, said. He is currently residing in the Florida Avenue Residence Halls. “The meal plans are very convenient and I have gotten to know the people in my building.”

Laible chose a random roommate, something students are able to do if they select to live in the dorms.

Ilana Weiner, freshman in LAS, decided to room with a classmate from her high school. “I wanted to know my roommate beforehand. Many of my friends did the same thing, although some met their roommates through the UIUC Freshman Class of 2020 Facebook page.”

Doleh, much like Weiner, was able to choose his roommate. “I met one of my roommates through mutual friends. I didn’t know the other two beforehand. Luckily we are all now great friends.”

Doleh and his roommates share the responsibility of both cleaning the apartment and cooking meals throughout the day. “I rarely eat out,” Doleh explained. “I eat breakfast at my apartment and pack snacks throughout the day.”

When living in a dorm or Greek facility, a resident is required to eat during the specific times their dining hall is open. They are limited to the food being served that particular day.

In addition to the added flexibility of mealtimes, many people consider the larger size of an apartment a major draw, instead of the smaller dorm rooms. However, some students do not have any serious problems fitting their life into the shared space.

“They are livable,” said Weiner. “For the most part, I have enough space to fit my belongings.”

Doleh does not have this issue, as he said his apartment allows him a lot of storage space for his belongings.

Audrey Christopher, a freshman in Business, currently living in Bromley, is able to easily get around campus due to the convenient location.

“I walk everywhere. It’s great exercise and I live very close to the Quad,” she said.

Unlike Christopher, Doleh is not within walking distance to much of campus.

“It is hard to commute on and off-campus. I always use the bus to get around. I do not go back to my apartment until I am done with classes for that particular day because that is too difficult,” said Doleh.

Nevertheless, Doleh explained that it was worth it. Each of them get their own space and bathroom, a luxury not many students enjoy.

Apartments can offer more amenities and more freedom than other living options, such as sorority or fraternity houses, which generally house many students in a small area. However, these houses are conveniently within walking distance to  bus stops and the Quad.

Most juniors and seniors attending the University move into apartments, but they have many choices about where the apartment will be located, how much they will pay in rent and who they will choose as roommates.

“Being in an apartment has taught me responsibility. I have to pay bills on time and sign a lease. I plan on living off campus next year, as I have enjoyed it,” Doleh shared.

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