By: Elizabeth Conner
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Deciding on which college to attend is difficult enough, but there another serious question that prospective students must ask themselves, which is whether or not they are going to commute to college. I understand that often, the decision is a financial one. It’s cheaper to commute to college than to live in the dorms; however, I would argue that the complete college experience is one in which a student lives on campus– it’s a chance for you to gain some independence, moving away from home for the first time is hard in the beginning, but the taste of newfound freedom is oh so sweet.
What’s unique about Chestnut Hill unlike other colleges and universities, is that it’s a 4 year residential community, which simply means that most if not all students, live on campus. At other major colleges and universities, typically, only freshmen and sophomores live on campus, but Chestnut Hill is a small enough college to house all classes. This creates a unique atmosphere on campus– the upperclassmen take in the new freshmen, and show them the ropes at Chestnut Hill– which classes to take, where to have fun in Philly, and most importantly, how to balance one’s schoolwork. I’ve lived at Chestnut Hill all four years, and I’ve cherished my time here. The campus is so aesthetically pleasing/ charming, that it’s impossible to ignore its allure. Also, what’s unique about Chestnut Hill is that you can live by yourself! I haven’t had a roommate for four years– granted, I was an RA for two, but nevertheless, it’s something that at other campus’ you would not be able to experience at a larger institution. Therefore, if I had to give my two cents, I’d say live on campus. Never in your life will you experience this type of freedom without much responsibility again, so make the most of it. Also, it money is the reason you’re unable to live on campus, think about becoming an RA. You receive a discount on housing, which includes all room and half board. Just think about it. I believe that commuters do miss out on the “college experience,” mainly, because they’re here for all the work and don’t get to see how fun college can be. Therefore, think it over, but I believe Chestnut Hill is best experienced when one lives on campus.