For those students currently living on-campus, this article is not for you. To those students who are, at present, residing in a house or apartment off-campus, listen up.

 Living off-campus may cause you to lose out on various college experiences. Some may use the excuse that the distance from campus to their homes keeps them from getting involved in campus activities, or that it’s hard for them to feel a part of campus life when they no longer live on VSU grounds. 

 While these two excuses are understandable for the most part, allowing them to hold those students back from their personal college experience for the rest of their time here at VSU is not by any means.

 Our advice is to avoid “checking out” and to not let living off-campus keep you from enjoying college. Instead, take advantage of the whole experience. We’re young; we still have time to live it up before the real world swiftly comes knocking on our doors.

 Nowhere else besides college will students be encouraged to attend free concerts, free sports games and free theatre productions. We have so many exciting and pocket-friendly opportunities jumping up and down in front of our eyes. Instead of dwelling off-campus after class and have these chances pass, we encourage and challenge you to stay on campus for the entire day and to observe what all is right in front of you. It’s yours for the rest of your time here at VSU.

 We’re not saying that those living off-campus should relocate back to the campus dorms. We just do not want to see off-campus students miss out on valuable college experiences.
 
One suggestion- continue to join clubs. Not only will these look good on your resume, but it will allow you to build relationships with other students who share your same interests and develop connections for later on in your profession.

 Maybe even eat on campus one day out of the week. Your goal should be to try and meet someone new each time.    Remember the first week of your freshman year, when you went to the cafeteria for the first time and were uncertain of where to sit or who to sit with, but after some time and patience, you finally met someone who helped you meet other students sitting around you. The food services on campus aren’t just for freshmen. Any student can utilize them; they’re here to enhance the college experience.

 Take advantage of the free stuff that VSU offers. Get your friends together and go to a football game one Saturday, or go tie-dye for free on the front lawn with your room-mates.

There’s something fun taking place on campus practically every day; take advantage of them.

Just because you live off-campus doesn’t mean that you still cannot get involved. You are just as important as those students living on-campus, but you won’t feel involved unless you get involved. It’s all up to you. You’re in full command of how you spend your time here at VSU.  College is a once in a lifetime experience; enjoy it while you have it.

This editorial was written by Jennifer Faulconer (jafaulconer@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the opinion of the entire editorial staff.