Should I Move For College?

There comes a time in every students life where they begin to weigh up their third level options.

Not every one decides to go on to third level and that is perfectly ok for you to make that decision. However if you are someone who really wants to move on to university or any third level institution, then you will have a lot to consider.

One of the things you will need to consider is where to go to college. There can be a number of factors that influence this decision.

Remote Parts Of The Country

There are a number of people in Ireland that have no choice but to leave their area or even county to attend the college course that they want. If you are living somehwere in a rural part of the country, it may well be that the only place that has the course you want to do is Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Galway. Many people have to take into consideration whether or not they can sustainably commute each day or whether or not they need to move.

If you are very far away from your chosen college you may be left with no alternative but to move closer to the campus. This could mean either taking up residence on the campus itself or engageing in a private letting or obtaining privately owned student accomodation. All of these are perfectly viable options and all have their merits.

Campus Life

One of the big benefits of living closer to the college is accessibility to campus life. A major part of being a student is campus life. Availing of student organisations, parties, after college activities, all add to the college experience. It is also a great way to really begin your transition from childhood to adulthood and will generate experiences for you that will be forever memorable.

On the other hand there is also no harm in either not wanting to move away from home yet or just simply not being able to. Remember, that while college social life is great, that is not your main reason for being there. maybe you are someone who is more academic and has no interest in the social elements of college life. If this is the case, moving onto campus or into student accomodation may not be the best choice for you.

Being close to the college and the college libraries are also another factor to consider. Being close to classmates is also something to consider. Especially when it comes to forming study groups during times of exams.

Online College Community

However if you are staying at home and not moving, there is a rise in online study groups that you would be able to engage in from anywhere, and libraries can be accessed online too.

Making Friends

One of the biggest benefits of moving away from home to go to college is the feeling of freedom. Once you have moved out of your family home and into your own space you become a much more independant person. This lends itself well to making new friends. Half the battle of teh initial college struggle is won through making friends and being social. While living at home doesn’t mean you cannot make friends, of course that would be ridiculous, living on your own allows you to live to your own schedule and your own rules. It means that you can make friends on your own terms, perhaps for the first itme.

The basic lesson here is, consider whether or not you think that college living is the right move for you at the moment. There is no right or wrong answer here, it all comes down to personality and what you want to get from your college experience.

Remeber, every persons experience is just as valid as the next persons. So do what ever you feel is true to you and what you want.