One of the major decisions students face about college life has to do with the most basic of human needs: finding shelter.

Whether friends are down the hall or down the street, housing on and off campus has its perks.

Residences Services Director Jill Church said that by living on campus, students are closer to the university resources such as the library and tutoring services.

“Living on campus is a good option for students because it helps them get connected to the university and the community quicker,” Church said.

Freshman flight technology major Matthew Arroyo said he lives in a living learning community in Dunbar hall.

“Most of us are admitted to the College of Applied Engineering,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo said he enjoys aspects of campus life that he wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience if he had commuted.

“I am kind of falling in love with the fact that a lot of the café places and where to eat is in arm’s reach,” Arroyo said.

Church said that students living in the residence halls have access to safety features that are only available on campus, such as the student escort service program that allows students to call and request a security guard escort to any area on campus between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“The residence halls are locked down 24 hours a day, and we also have student security aides in the residence halls in the evening,” Church said.

Before making a decision about living in a residence hall or renting a house off campus, students should consider the Kent State University housing policy, which requires students to live on campus for the first two years of school.

Exceptions to this requirement include being at least 20 years old, serving in the military, having marital status, having a child or living within 50 miles of campus.

“We count on a certain number of students doing that so we have enough space for incoming students,” Church said. “It’s a typical migration.”

Junior accounting major Brennan Otto decided to rent a house on University Drive with friends this year because he said it would be another step toward independence.

According to collegecalc.com, the average cost for a year of room and board at Kent State was $9,536. Otto said his share of the monthly rent is less than $400 with utilities, making the total rent for the property less than $2,000 a month. The yearly rent for each individual roommate is less than $3,600.

“The most exciting thing about getting a house is the idea that life is short and I’m starting to grow up,” Otto said. “I’m 20 years old and I have bills and rent to pay. It’s very exciting.”

Contact Nathan Havenner at [email protected].