Ahhh, you finally convinced your parents to let you move off campus. No more puke in the elevator, disgusting meal plan, or shared bedrooms. You’ll have to buy your own toilet paper and shower curtain, but other than that, it’s a paradise compared to dorm life. You can study and sleep when you want, without having to worry about distractions, and having your own bedroom means that you can tune everyone out when you just want to veg alone.
While you may have waited a year — or even three — to indulge in that kind of alone time, you might be surprised at just how lonely you feel. You might have gotten more used to being surrounded by friends and classmates — for better or worse — than you realized, and your new freedom could be too quiet at first. Staying involved when you move off campus takes extra effort, but it’s worth it if you want to feel like an integral part of the campus community, just as you did when you were a dorm dweller.
Don’t give up any of the clubs or extracurriculars you were a part of before moving off campus, unless you have to because of scheduling conflicts or time management. Try to hang out with friends who still live on campus, and even get them to treat you to a free lunch or dinner so that you can still have the occasional "family time" that you enjoyed before. You’ll quickly realize that lots of socializing goes on at school, at the dining hall, student center, in the library, and even in the lobbies of departments and campus offices. Don’t head to campus for classes and the library only: stick around and do some work in a courtyard and meet study groups on campus when possible. And instead of joining a gym, continue to use your campus tennis courts, pool, and rec center to workout or lay out. It’s probably still free, and offers better amenities than any gym you’ll have to pay for in the city. Try to keep a friendly, open attitude about your student status. Even though you live off campus, you’re not any better or more important than other students, and you’re not too good to take advantage of the facilities and services your campus has to offer, even if that does mean smelling a dirty dorm elevator again or noshing on college pizza once in a while.
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