Living In A Dormitory VS Renting An Apartment
I am a 4th year student Business and Management. For the whole period study period , I have been living alone (away from parents). I have tried different options in living an independent life. I have rented an apartment for the first year of the university and then moved to the dormitory. I want to share my story and to outline advantages and disadvantages of these two options.
Studying in Russia was an only option for me and my parents in terms of my educational path. So, a decision to move to Moscow was not a surprise at all. Thus, nobody (even me) planned on where and how I will live in such a big city alone. At first my father decided to rent a flat while organizing my routine, submitting documents etc. However, a surprise occurred when I was given a room in a dormitory that was so far away from Moscow. Silly me did not realize that every location in Moscow is that away in comparison to my hometown. That is way my father and I decided that I will live in an apartment for the whole period. Struggles began when I had to spend 3 hours per a day to go to my campus and back. I persevered only for a year because paying a large amount of money and spending that much time along the way is unfair. So, I decided to move to the dormitory.
Some miracle happened and I was given a room in a dorm that is 2 minutes away from a subway station, which is a real blessing in terms of Moscow realities. And the third year of dormitory life is going on now.
What are the pros and cons of different options?
Renting an apartment
Pros: private space, cooking every meal you want, listening to the music (not only in headphones), inviting friends and family members whenever you want.
Cons: sometimes it is boring, spending less time outside the house, usually spending more time along the way, having fewer social contacts, spending much more money.
Living in a dorm
Pros: spending less time along the way, a chance to make new friends, having fun.
Cons: no chance to be alone for some time, harder to concentrate, messy kitchen, arguments with room neighbor, certain visiting hours.
To sum up, every option has its advantages and disadvantages. And choosing certain one will depend on your lifestyle and expectations from university life.
Text by
Kamila Rakhimova