Head to Head: Is living on campus or off campus preferable?

As housing decisions are finalized, a topic that remains on many returning Lions' minds is whether living on campus or off campus is better. Some may be reconsidering their decision to stay on campus while others may be unexpectedly rejected by housing and are struggling to come to terms with potentially having to live off campus. Senior Editor Yukana Inoue and Asst. Managing Editor Rudy Goldman goes head to head on which is more preferable — living on campus or off campus?

Every year, more and more of my friends opted to depart from LMU housing to live off campus. Despite this, I have stayed on campus during all four years of my time at LMU, and I do not regret my decision whatsoever.

First and foremost, you cannot beat the convenience that is afforded by living on campus. Even if you are burdened with an 8 a.m. class, you can simply wake up at 7:50 a.m., roll out of bed and make it to your lecture on time. This is much more ideal than having to leave your off campus housing way in advance to account for the time to commute to campus, not to mention the time it takes to find parking, given our limited parking spaces.

Although the Westchester neighborhood offers living options that are within walking distance from LMU for students like me who don't have cars, the fact remains that it takes much longer to get to campus. This is even more inconvenient if your schedule requires you to be at school earlier in the day for class and back later in the evening for a club meeting or work, which means you must walk back and forth to your residence.

Although getting your steps in may be good for your health, it is a much more efficient use of your time if you can quickly walk back to your on campus housing to run a load of laundry, finish up an assignment or even squeeze in a midday nap.

Sure, you may want a taste of freedom by getting your own place and living outside of the LMU campus. However, I would argue that most aspects of the freedom you are looking for are achievable by still being on campus. Chances are, as you apply for upperclassmen housing, you can live in one of the apartment buildings, such as which are the Leavey Apartments, O’Malley Apartments, Hannon Apartments, Tenderich Hall and Palm South Apartments. In these, you and your roommates have a kitchen and a living room where you are able to live as you would in any apartment off campus — cooking your own meals, creating a homely living room setup and so on.

Besides, you have the rest of your life to live in independence all you want. Therefore, while you’re in college, wouldn’t you want to soak in the college experience by being a part of the hustle and bustle of LMU? The best part about living on campus is being part of the community and living in proximity to all of your friends. Every day, you can run into your friends while walking out of your door or stay up late talking to them in the common rooms. You have the ability to walk back to your room in the wee hours of the morning without concern as well. Living on campus is the epitome of the college experience — why miss out on it?

This is the opinion of Yukana Inoue, a senior film, television and media studies major from Chiba, Japan. Email comments to editor@theloyolan.com. Follow and tweet comments to @LALoyolan on Twitter, and like the Loyolan on Facebook.

As housing season has come into full swing, the ultimate question students face is if they will live on or off campus. And if you’re an upperclassman, to whom housing isn’t guaranteed, you may be looking for ways to convince yourself, your roommates or your parents that living off campus won’t be so bad. Regardless of whether you might choose to live off campus or don't get on campus housing and are forced into living off the Bluff, it undoubtedly has its benefits.

Chances are, you went to LMU to experience Los Angeles, not to just be trapped in the bubble of our campus. While classes and clubs may give you time to make an impact on the Bluff, living off campus gives you the chance to expand your influence, meet new people you might’ve never met and be a part of communities off campus.

Let’s not forget, we’re adults after all, and we deserve the ability to make choices for ourselves. Living off campus gives you more options all around. Off campus, no one forces you to eat their food, as there is no required meal plan. Chances are, when living off campus, there are far more places to eat than just Iggy’s or the Lair. After all, LA is known for its diverse cultures, and food is the best way to get a taste of them. Additionally, the vast number of grocery stores off campus are bound to have better ingredients than the C-Stores.

While we're on the topic of choices, it's hard to ignore that off campus accommodations offer far more options than LMU housing. You’ll know who your roommates will be, where you’ll be living, and if you’ll have AC long before you get asked to put down $400. Additionally, the chance to sleep in a bigger bed than a twin XL is always a plus.

The chore of parking often worries commuting students. However, if you get a place in Playa Vista, you can forget about parking on campus and take the LMU Shuttle. But if you need to drive to campus, parking is always available in University Hall. While some might groan at the idea of parking and walking to class from U-Hall, most students will still find themselves making the trek to and from U-Hall even if they live on campus. If two things are certain in the life of an LMU student, it’s Brightspace and walking to U-Hall.

Another worry that students might have when living off campus is safety. But students need not forget that LMU is an open campus, in which outsiders are free to walk in as they please. While LA has its dangers, LMU is not immune, as we’ve seen belongings stolen right here on campus.

Choosing housing is no easy decision. But, it's easy to find the benefits of living off campus, especially when LMU makes it your only choice by not offering you housing in the first place. Expanding your life beyond the Bluff can be a freeing experience, with worthwhile benefits of expanded choices, opportunities and comforts.

This is the opinion of Rudy Goldman, a sophomore management and leadership major from Redondo Beach, Calif. Email comments to editor@theloyolan.com. Follow and tweet comments to @LALoyolan on Twitter, and like the Loyolan on Facebook.