Benefits to living on and off campus are weighed

Maybe it's the lure of independence -- the freedom from a resident adviser's watchful eye -- or maybe it's a desperate attempt to flee the unreliable elevators of the high rises. Whatever the reasons, within the coming weeks, more than 40 percent of students will opt for off-campus housing next year. For some, the decision is one they will be happy to have made. "I love living off campus," College sophomore Rachel Meadows said. "The high rises didn't appeal to me at all... and I really don't think there are any disadvantages." However, as students head for the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia, some noted there are differences between campus housing and off-campus living they should keep in mind. Students who are simply looking for an easier place to party should not live off campus just for that reason, warns Miki Farcas, director of the Office of Off-Campus Living. "People need to be responsible and well-informed," Farcas said. "Being informed and knowing what their rights and responsibilities are, and where to get information are probably essential in having a good experience off campus." Of course, when it comes to many of the on-campus conveniences -- security guards, Information Technology Assistants, ethernet and the Penn Video Network -- students will have to fend for themselves. They must take their own safety precautions, fix their own computers and seek out their own dial-up or DSL services. For some, the ease of on-campus living is too important to give up. "I feel like [living on campus] is easier," College senior Lorraine Dean said. "It's more expensive, but it's consolidated in the sense that you don't have to pay for utilities separately, and you don't have to pay for any repairs that you might need -- you just call facilities and maintenance." But for others, the additional responsibilities that come with living off campus do not represent a major hassle. "It's not that bad," College senior Rachel Berkowitz said. "We have one person in our house who takes care of them all, but... it's not a big deal." Many students say living off campus also brings changes to their social scene, which now revolves around a house and neighbors on their block instead of a dorm room and students on their floor. "I like living in an apartment with five of my best friends because I feel like you couldn't get that through campus," Meadows said. "I think as everyone gets older, they tend to just hang out more with their friends and not... a larger community," Berkowitz said. But for some, on-campus living offers more interaction. "Socially, it's more amenable," Dean said of her high-rise dorm. "There's a lot more people around all the time, and if you need anything, you can just go next door." Though less than half of all Penn students will sign leases, pack up their belongings and move a few blocks into off-campus territory, the question of where to live is one all students will have to weigh in on at some point and -- after considering their options -- choose for themselves.