To Alauna Sutton, freshman year did not mean residential advisors, a messy roommate or Ram’s Horn’s Mongolian grill. Instead, the current sophomore studying anthropology chose to live with her parents in Wellington, Colorado.
Though not common, Sutton’s situation is allowed. Colorado State University requires most first year students to live on campus for two consecutive semesters but some freshman are granted permission to live off campus.
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According to Vickie Bank, the assignments assistant for Housing and Dining Services, incoming students may request to live off campus by filing an exemption form found on the residence life website.
Freshmen may choose to live off campus with parents or grandparents in the Fort Collins area. Students that are married or above the age of 21 are also granted exemption.
Although not all students are required to live on campus, the school promotes it.
“We encourage students to live on campus,” Bank said. “Students that live on campus have a higher GPA and are more likely to graduate. They’re closer to classes and resources.”
Sutton said that living off campus was the best decision for her.
“I wasn’t really ready to leave home yet, even though it was so close,” Sutton said. “I’m an only child so I wasn’t even used to living with siblings.”
Daniel Nelson, an undeclared freshman, is trying to move off campus next semester. After getting out of the Navy in August, Nelson is old enough to live off campus.
“I’m moving off campus because I’ve been living on my own for four years,” Nelson said. “It’s a quality of life thing. I want to be able to go home, sit down, drink a beer, smoke up and relax.”
Sutton said that, with a variety of reasons to live off campus, students should try to do what is best for them.
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“I think that it depends on the person,” Sutton said. “It depends on their situation. Some people would benefit from living off campus, but for other people it’s just time for them to go to college.”
Collegian Diversity Reporter Hannah Ditzenberger can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter at @h_ditzenberger.
