Going off-campus can become tempting after a year or two spent in dorms.
Months living in a cramped room, sharing a hallway bathroom or evacuating after one too many set-off fire alarms may just give one the courage to move into a place off-campus.
Students can rent a house or find the convenience of an apartment complex — such as The Station, Villas on Rensch, Axis360 or Collegiate Village — that cater to students.
Off-campus is a taste of freedom and independence. But, of course, it brings its own set of challenges: rent and transportation are just two out of many.
Thankfully, first-timers are not alone.
With around 7,400 students out of about 32,000 total living in on-campus housing, commuters — whether local or out-of-state — are plenty.
And some have advice they picked up along the way.
Angelina Concepcion — a junior English education major and Villas on Rensch resident — warns students to prepare themselves for what lies ahead if they do not have a car in Buffalo, especially during the winter. After getting into a car accident last year, she struggled to travel to UB’s South Campus and missed classes as a result.
“Make sure that you’re willing and able to get to class in the winter when it’s cold and you have to take the bus,” Concepcion said.
Grocery shopping and cooking independently often comes to mind when navigating off-campus living. Though, the tasks can feel nearly unrealistic amidst part-time jobs, extracurriculars and classes.
Concepcion says that first-timers can start small, switching onto only dining points or a limited meal plan until they figure out what’s best.
Jude Farrell, a junior aerospace engineering major living at Villas on Rensch, insists on the importance of “meal prepping:” preparing whole meals in advance for the duration of the week. This method has saved him “mounds of money” in the long run, preventing him from making “hangry, impulsive” decisions to get food on Doordash — a food delivery platform.
“Without a UB meal plan, it gets genuinely crucial to make sure I have food cooked for the week,” said Farrell. “Especially with weekdays being packed with classes, clubs and work, meal prepping on Sunday has become a must.”
Transitioning from on to off-campus living comes with the challenge of living in a new, unknown area. After living on campus, moving away from a familiar place can impact students’ social life and how they move around.
Emily Macfarlane, a senior biomedical engineering major who lives in a house near South Campus, suggests students get to know their new neighborhood.
“You might find a local coffee shop with the perfect study environment,” Macfarlane said. “See what local events are happening because you might meet a friend there. Living off campus just gives you a better avenue to get connected with both the UB and Buffalo community and I think that's easy to forget, especially when we spend so much time on campus.”
Getting to know your new area could even come with some benefits, such as making a house feel more like a home with free items.
Gavin Glaser, a sophomore biomedical sciences major and a resident of an apartment near South Campus, found a bedside lamp while out and about in his neighborhood.
“The simple addition of this allowed for me to return to my longheld hobby of reading before bed, and I would not have found it if not for roaming these surrounding neighborhoods,” Glaser said.
Facebook Marketplace — where community members can sell used or new items — can provide underrated homegoods and decorations for cheap prices, according to Farrell. He had bought a patio off of the platform, and now uses it as a community space for him and his friends.
The outdoor furniture has also helped him interact more with his neighbors, which is “rudimentary to existence,” Farrell said.
Students may not have to look far to find a sense of community often found in dorms. Making time for and spending time with roommates could create and foster a community within the very walls of an off-campus home.
Three roommates in a house near South Campus have fit in time amidst their busy schedules to be with each other.
Nitika Menon, a sophomore biomedical sciences major on the pre-pharmacy track, has a favorite “roomie routine” with her friends, first-year pharmacy student Amrita Nair and Rhea Shah, a sophomore business administration major. Whether they’re coming in from labs, clubs or cram sessions, the three pop open a new ice cream pint, grab three spoons and catch up with each other.
“Because we all have such different and hectic schedules, it gets hard to see the sweet girls I literally chose to live with,” Menon said. “So we make sure to fit in time where we can cook together or watch movies; easy things that just make our quality of life and friendship so much stronger.”
Creating this community, however, relies on picking the right roommates.
Making sure you have an enjoyable living situation is now all on you, as there is not a residential assistant to mediate conflict, says Beth Casey, a third-year Exercise Sciences major living at Villas on Rensch.
“Make sure you pick your roommates well because you are the only one accountable for that decision now,” Casey said. “You are much more responsible now.”
Leaving UB does not mean forgetting the friendships made there.
Casey, also vice president of the Outdoor Adventure Club, says students need to stay connected with clubs and to continue exploring their interests. Since joining the club in her freshman year, Casey retains many of her closest friends and a means to further explore her connection to nature.
“So even if you're not in the middle of campus, you're still connected to it socially,” Casey said.
The transition from living on-campus to off-campus can be a scary one, but thanks to the advice of UB’s large off-campus student body, it doesn’t have to be.
Maira Fayyaz is the assistant features editor and can be reached at maira.fayyaz@ubspectrum.com.
Agnes Keough is the assistant features editor and can be reached at agnes.keough@ubspectrum.com.
