Residence

One of the most important issues people may face when finishing high school is "Where do I live?". There's the options of residence, staying at home, or buying/renting your own place. Each option has a list of pros and con's but keep in mind, depending on where you chose to go, not all of these will apply to you.

Residence- Staying on campus is great for most, but it may have it's downsides
Pros

• You get to meet new people. A lot of times when you enter a new school with thousands of people, it's easy to feel alone. Residence helps with this, you get to meet new people that you would have never met otherwise.
• You're right on campus, anything you want is at your fingertips
• That feeling of Independence, having your own place is great after spending years with mom and dad.

Cons

• The meal plan. You pretty much have to decide how much food you will be eating all year when you fill out your form. This may pose some difficulties, because I personally don't keep a running tab of how much I have eaten in my life.
• Curfew and rules. This is your year to do whatever you want, but keep in mind that the universities do impose rules such as no drinking and no loud noises after a certain time.

Staying Home- You've lived with the 'rents for this long, how much worse can 4 years be?
Pros

• Everything is free! More or less. Your parents do want to provide for you and see you happy, this translates into free food, free utilities and free laundry.
• No change. Your room will remain your room, that way no one turns it into a 'game room' when you go off to university

Cons

• Guess who still makes all the rules? That's right, your parents because if you remember what they always say; "As long as you're living under my roof you'll obey my rules"...gotcha
• Curfew and rules. If you thought Universities had some strict laws, I'm sure your parents have ones that will make the Dean jealous.

Your Own Place- Moving into a new place of your own will put a spring in your step...and a dent in your wallet.
Pros

• No rules. Do what you want, when you want it (make sure it's legal) mommy won't be watching your every step.
• Culture. You live in a neighbourhood, in a city, possibly with a lot of things to do. Without the aforementioned rules, you can explore the world at your leisure.

Cons

• Money. Chances are, your place of higher learning is in a big city, maybe a metropolis. Finding places that will accomodate your needs and budget will be difficult.

So now that you know your options, what will you do? Weigh the choices and see what appeals to your tastes, and make sure that you do research. Most university websites offer a comprehensive residence cost guide, including meal plans. Think about transportation, find out your local city bus scheduals to find times that suit you. If you are looking for apartments, check online (Viewit and Yahoo are great sources) to find the style and location you want.
Hope this helps, email me with any concerns or questions at slava.pastuk@gmail.com. Next time I'll be sharing with you my University orientation, see you soon :)