February of winter quarter is an important month for many students on campus, as the second month of the quarter and when midterms occur. It’s also the month when students begin to select their housing assignments for next year. 

Freshmen have the choice of living in the on-campus residence halls Campion, Bellarmine and Xavier. Students choosing housing for their sophomore year can pick between these options as well as Chardin Hall, the Murphy Apartments, Vi Hilbert Hall or the Douglas Apartments. Then there are students who live off campus, through independent living options such as renting apartments not affiliated with the university, or staying with family.

A determining factor for students to decide to live off campus is the cost of living and allocation of resources for students. 

Zooey Redmond, a third-year history major, resides off campus for the current school year and plans to continue living off campus for the remainder of her time at Seattle University. Redmond rents a condo with roommates and has not lived on campus since her sophomore year.

Redmond chose to seek out off-campus living situations after being waitlisted by the housing committee on campus.

“I was going to apply to on-campus housing as a backup cause I was in the early stages of figuring out off-campus housing when I had to apply for it. But they had no housing for me to choose from. They put me on the waitlist, but it was kind of like if they don’t have enough housing for students, this is the sign I need to look for housing off campus,” Redmond said.

Redmond also discussed the housing rates on campus and how that weighed on her choosing to live off campus. 

“A large part of it is on-campus housing is so expensive. I lived in a triple both years I was on campus,” Redmond said.

Redmond also shared some of the benefits she has living off campus.

“The benefits of where I live specifically are that I have a full kitchen and I have my own room. It’s five minutes from campus. The best thing is the in-unit washer and dryer, I don’t miss having to fight 50 freshmen for the washers and dryers in Campion,” Redmond said.

Overall, Redmond is pleased with her decision to live off-campus.

“It’s a really good deal and I live with people I like,” Redmond said.

In the middle, there are students who are torn between living on campus or living off.

Darlene Tumbaga, a third-year forensic psychology major and student from out of state, weighed in on what’s leaving her undecided about where to live next year.

“Currently I am hoping to live somewhere off campus so I can stay here for the summer. That might not go well, since the prices are high and once May hits everyone will be buying apartments so there’s competition there,” Tumbaga said. 

Tumbaga explained her main reason to live off campus would be because it would give her the most accommodation as an out-of-state student, and because she is looking for permanent residence. 

“Being an out-of-state student, it’s just so much easier for me to stay here during the summer and start networking. It’s so competitive being in the city,” Tumbaga said. 

Tumbaga is not yet entirely ready to say goodbye to her home away from home on campus.

“I love having a meal plan, it’s lowkey free money. I wouldn’t have to work for the money as much to buy groceries and food. My backup situation would be to live in the Murphy Apartments,” Tumbaga said.

Feb. 20, Tumbaga along with thousands of other undergraduates will make a selection about their housing options and then receive their housing assignments.

A student who isn’t as concerned about housing is Second-year Environmental Studies Major Daniel Herre. He is currently living in the Murphy Apartments and plans to live in Vi Hilbert Hall next school year with a roommate.

Herre had an unconventional backstory for his decision to live in Vi Hilbert Hall next year.

“I chose it because the person I wanted to be roommates with filled out an application before me and I was able to slide in,” Herre said.

Herre is confident that he will be satisfied with his choice next year.

“To be honest I don’t know what they look like, nor have I been in them. But it will be nice to have more space, I am comfortable where I am right now,” Herre said.

Herre has described his experience with housing as overall positive but he does agree with Redmond about the high costs of living on campus. 

“It’s been positive… It’s mostly just the cost, Murphy is pretty expensive and so is Vi but the quality has been fine,” Herre said. 

As the deadline for housing decisions rapidly approaches, students must weigh the pros and cons of various housing options and make an important decision about where they will be living for the next academic school year.