While there are some reasons to stay on campus, the benefits of moving off outweigh the drawbacks. I live in Friendly Hills apartments across the street, right behind Harris Teeter. Madison Woods and Friendly Manor may be a bit of a trek, but Friendly Hills is just a block away.

I own a car, but I never drive it to school. Instead I ride my bike. I can probably ride to Dana Auditorium quicker than someone can walk there from Binford. Snow and rain make the route more difficult, but alternative houses like Hildebrant are just as far from the main campus as Friendly Hills.

So, location is a non-issue. Now let’s look at the cost. The difference between living off-campus and on-campus is no small matter. For many people, saving four digits is anything but “measly,” and the benefits of off-campus living are even better.

For $3,165 one gets a dorm room with a roommate and a meal plan at the caf. From check-in on Aug. 19 to check-out on Dec. 17 that breaks down to $791 per month for room and food.

I pay $500 a month for room and food.

And let’s look at what I get: my own bedroom, full kitchen, den, living room, bathroom, digital cable, cable Internet, phone, and heat and electricity that I control. Campus apartments have less room and cost more. Last month all of this cost me $250.

How? Because I share a two-bedroom apartment with two of my friends who live together. Dividing everything three ways saves money, which allows us to splurge on on-campus perks like high-speed Internet. And our Internet is consistently faster than on campus.

While not everyone will be as lucky as I was with my arrangement, splitting the same bill two ways instead of three still saves money. Including food, the price of living off-campus would be $623 per month, which is still $168 per month cheaper than living on-campus.

For food I allot $250 a month, which is about $8.30 a day. If you’re strict with your money, you can spend significantly less than this. Students living off-campus do not have to be on the meal plan.

Making your own meals isn’t hard, and you only eat and pay for what you want. Cereal or a bagel for breakfast, a sandwich or soup for lunch, and something bigger for dinner like spaghetti, stir-fry, or a $4 dinner from Harris Teeter is easy.

The only reason not to move off-campus is if you are actively involved in the social scene. Even this, though, is not a big problem. “We’re so close to campus … it’s not a big deal,” said senior Eric Gray. Living close off-campus allows you to be as involved in the social scene as you want to be.

Campus Life will almost definitely deny a first-year or sophomore’s petition to move off campus. Juniors have a fair chance, especially considering the enrollment increase the college is experiencing now. Seniors are not obligated to stay on campus.

So you have to live on campus for two years anyway, and in this time you will meet lots of people and learn what there is to do on campus and where to do it. Moving off campus does not sever your umbilical chord to the college; it just gives you some extra slack.

If you are a very social person, don’t own a computer, or have scholarship conditions to consider, then living on-campus might be best. But most juniors and seniors will appreciate the food, cost, and freedom privileges of living a reasonable distance from campus while maintaining a fun social life.