Where do you live? Posted on April 22nd, 2014 by

By Heather Dale

Director of Health Service & Faculty/Administrator in Residence for the Sophomore Experience

At the time of year when all students are thinking about is  “Where am I going to live next year?” and “Can I live off-campus?”, I wondered to myself…Why is everyone in a rush to move out of the dorms?

It has now been almost six years.  Six years of living on campus in dormitory housing.  Six years of my family engaging in this experience with me.  Students often are anxious to get out of the dorms and “live on their own,” but for my family the dorms have been an experience we have both enjoyed and appreciated!

In moving off campus there are many things to consider.  Students want freedom, but they don’t realize that Physical Plant won’t be there to shovel the sidewalk, to call if something breaks, and no one will be cleaning up the messes left in common areas of the apartment building/house.  Students want to cook their own meals, but they don’t realize that means grocery shopping, prep time, time spent cooking and then lots of dishes!  Students want separation from the school, but it is much easier to walk a few blocks across campus than to scrape off your car, let the windshield defrost, drive to campus, find a parking spot, and still walk equal distance to your campus destination.  The convenience of living in the dorms is one that students will never again experience!

All that all being said, my family has decided to move off-campus next year.  Having an extra bathroom and no middle of the night fire alarms will be a welcomed change, but we will miss many of the conveniences noted above.  We will also miss the community of Gusties we have lived with (fortunately we are only moving a mile away, and will still be next to two Gustavus families).  Our six years of on-campus residence has been great!  For me, I feel like I have had the opportunity to participate in the full Gustavus experience.  It is the Gustavus community, especially the students, that make Gustavus such a wonderful place to be!

 


One Comment

  1. Meghan Krause says:

    I’m looking forward to dorm life again when I can choose a senior living facility…for all of the reasons you’ve noted, Heather!