The truth is, I didn't think I'd ever be going to UF. I was sure that I'd go out of state because let's be honest, Florida is way too hot and humid for my hair to survive. So of course, I'm the idiot that didn't apply for housing here. And by the time I decided to come here, I had missed the housing deadline.
A friend of mine from high school who was also going to UF wanted to live off campus. So I joined her in the search for an apartment. We checked out a few places, and ended up at Gainesville Place Apartments. It's a pretty nice place, fully decked in everything a college student would want- a gym, a fitness trail, tennis courts, pools, and most importantly we get our own bathrooms. However, it's also far off campus, and seeing as I have no car, it has proven to be a struggle to get around. Most of the time I just grab a bus and it's fine. But there have been times that that just wasn't enough.
So the struggle is real for a college student living off campus with no car. I don't have a meal plan, so I have to buy my own groceries. Sometimes, my roommate who has a car gets busy and then I'm left without the essentials like milk. And believe me, I love milk. I grew up with a brother who always drank all the milk, so the thought of not having him around to be the reason for my disappointment with my cereal was pretty great. Water too. We need water bottles. And neither of us like carrying a 32 pack of water bottles up three flights of stairs, but it has to be done. I once went a week without water. That can't be healthy.
Another thing is the weekend. Buses don't run as much, especially at night. And I haven't quite figured out how to get back to Gainesville Place on Later Gator. Since all my friends live on campus, I'm there a lot. And I hate being the one who's like "Uhh I gotta figure out what bus to take" while they all go to the same place.
Basically, I think it's a lot easier to live on campus for people like me who don't have cars. Even though there are obviously pros and cons of each, I'm one of those people who needs convenience. And living off campus is not convenient without a car. So if you don't have a car, I recommend overlooking the bathroom sharing and considering on-campus life. I'm considering it too. I feel like it's worth it for the sake of convenience.
