Classes in your own backyard

PRO

Imagine this: the alarm clock is going off. You notice the time and realize that you overslept, and are going to be 15 minutes late to class if you do not hurry. You hop in the car and speed on freeway like a madman trying to beat the morning rush hour.

You have five minutes left to get to class, but you are left to search for that inevitably hard-to-find parking space. Undoubtably, you are late to class and will miss a part of an important lecture or test.

Now imagine waking up in a place where your class is right in your very own backyard.

Yes, I am referring to living in on-campus housing­ the dorms.

Living in the dorms sprouts innumerable benefits. There is no hunting for a parking space during the morning rush hour. If you oversleep, it is only about a 5- to 7-minute walk from home to Upper or Lower Campus, thus allowing extra time for sleeping or studying.

The most important aspects of living on-campus are the special services provided.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are all provided for students living on campus.

There is only one monthly payment that covers rent, meals and all utility bills except for phone. Students who live in off-campus housing have the stress of paying rent, utilities and food expenses which can distract from studying.

Living in the dorms has been a positive experience for me. It has given me the chance to move away from home and learn about exciting, new things without the press of family members breathing down my neck.

Hilliary Martino is a journalism student at CSULB.