The great housing debate: Residence or off campus?

STORY BY AMANDA VERHOEVE

The hunt for housing has begun and many students say they’re overwhelmed with options for living near Campus.

Students living away from home have the option to live in residence on campus or to find accommodations off campus.

Sheridan offers two residence buildings at the Trafalgar Campus, one of them being brand-new. Each suite consists of a kitchen with a full-size fridge, microwave, sink and cupboards, two bedrooms and a full-sized bathroom. The residences also offer common rooms such as a fitness lounge, laundry rooms, kitchens with ovens and stoves, and a games room with a pool table, Foosball table, Ping-Pong table, arcade games and air hockey. They also offer state-of-the-art movie lounges, equipped with 110-inch projector screens, Blu-Ray capabilities and game console compatibility.

All of these amenities are available for $6,500 per year.

Although staff at the Sheridan residences know how to have fun, they are also serious about student safety and security.

“Having somebody at the front desk 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ensures student’s safety and security,” said Trafalgar 2 residence manager Nicole Hoffman.

“Students have to sign their guests in so that strangers aren’t running around the building going wild. It’s not a free-for-all. We make sure that the student’s safety and security is paramount to us.”

Hoffman says students living in residence for the first time often have unrealistic expectations of residence life.

“It’s not like the movies. It’s not the way Hollywood depicts it to be. Residence is not this crazy place where everything is free game.”

Hoffman encourages students to live in residence because of the many academic benefits, such as being able to go to the library at night and being able to go the commons at any time.

“With all the resources available, how could you not do better in school?”

Though Sheridan may have many things to offer students looking to move into residence, it is common for students to look into renting a place.

Unlike residence, students are able to choose whether or not they would like a roommate, and how many roommates to have. They are also able to take into consideration location, room style and properties at different price points.

“Students need to expect that it’s not going to be a palace,” said Oakville Century 21 Broker Jenny Kotulak. “They have to expect that if it’s property that’s been used as student housing for many years, it’s going to be well-used, maybe beat up a little bit.”

Kotulak says it is very important to make sure the neighbourhood is safe.

“If they’re going to be doing night classes, they need to feel safe when they’re walking home. It’s really good for them to not only drive between the property and the school, but to walk as well, to get a feel of whether they feel safe.”

First- year student Timea Bogdan says she will not be living in residence next year.

“I’m finding an apartment with my friends. I don’t like the space in residence, because it’s tiny.”

Bogdan says living in residence for her first year was beneficial, despite it not being what she expected.

“I met all of my friends in residence, not in my program. I chose residence over renting because I didn’t know anyone. I wouldn’t have met any of my friends if I didn’t live in residence.”