From classic dormitories to residential colleges, Northwestern offers a huge array of on-campus living options.  After two years living on-campus, however, I felt like I was ready for a new adventure. On-campus housing is a perfectly good option for all four years of college, but many students decide to venture into the off-campus world at some point during their undergraduate time.  I was lucky enough to experience many of the different living opportunities during my four years. Freshman year I lived in Elder Hall, sophomore year I lived in my sorority house, junior year I lived in a two-person apartment with a friend from freshman year, and this year I’m living in a house with nine roommates. What’s been great about living off-campus is that there’s still a strong NU community present throughout the streets of Evanston. Similar to on-campus housing options, the off-campus choices may seem overwhelming at first. However, we’re incredibly lucky to have such a wide array of options located so close to campus. This means you can still live close to your classes, room with friends from all across campus, and have a say in how much you’d like to pay for rent. It also means that there are hubs of students around Evanston — from Hinman Ave. and Davis St. (beyond the southern end of campus) to Sherman Ave. and Noyes St. (near Tech). There are apartments and houses teeming with NU students.

Living off-campus does become more popular as students progress through NU, so there are plenty of ways that students can stay connected to campus. Aside from frequenting campus for student groups and classes, students who are living off-campus are represented in our student government by a senator, have an entire office dedicated to off-campus living, and are surrounded by blue lights and NU police department officers to keep an eye on everyone’s safety. Additionally, if you’re like me and have only perfected the meal of “egg on toast” through twenty years of life, you can still purchase meal plans. My personal favorite is the block plan, which is available to students in their sophomore year or higher living both on- or off-campus. It’s a really flexible plan that allows you to eat at not only dining halls, but also at all of the stores and shops around campus. It’s great for when you don’t want to sit in a dining hall or do want to grab a quick bite from Norris on your way to class. I’ve found the best of both worlds living off-campus; it feels like an extension of campus in many ways, but with an added sense of responsibility and freedom. I’ve even graduated from “egg on toast” to experimenting with the recipes in last month’s Spoon. Regardless of where you decide to live throughout your time at NU, know that there are programs, websites, and staff ready to help you make the most out of that decision. Below are a few of the resources I found helpful when moving off-campus.

• Off-Campus Living
• Find a place to live!
• Posted sublets and living options on Wildcatpad
• City of Evanston Event Calendar

–Taylor Billings