Housing – Why or Why Not?

As a freshman and sophomore I made a decision to live in on campus housing.  I definitely think that I benefited from those experiences, especially freshman year.  I made a lot of friends and it’s nice to have everyone accessible for group projects or help with homework all within your building.  As I look towards my junior year here, I am looking into moving off campus.  I am doing this because I want to move in with one of my friends from home, who does not attend FIT.  I also want to be more independent as far as living independently and creating a space that feels like my own.  While New York has become my home, I don’t think it will truly feel like home until I separate myself from campus.  I think that if I had gotten an apartment sooner than this upcoming year, it would have been too soon. You need to experience the life living in a dorm and create friendships within FIT.  If I had lived in an apartment this year, I feel that my sophomore year experience would have been very different, not necessarily bad, but different.  I feel like once you get your own place, you take on a completely different lifestyle and independence.  I am looking forward to living off campus and the responsibilities that come with it, but I’ll report back in several months to tell you how things are going and to give my tips and tricks!

Ashley