One of the first decisions you will be faced with when moving off to college is choosing where to live. If you are coming into school as a freshman, you might not have much of a choice, as many colleges require you to live on campus for at least your first year. The good news is, UCF doesn't require freshmen to live on campus and there are great apartments for UCF freshman to choose from! When picking between an Orlando apartment or living in a college dorm room, there are a few things that should be taken into consideration. If you need some more help choosing after reading, check out this article!
Amenities
When you live in a dorm, you don't have to go far to get to campus because you are already there. There are some apartments in Orlando that can be found right off of campus, practically across the street, and these apartments come with some pretty sweet amenities. If health is a priority of yours, you can find an apartment community that offers fitness classes or even has a pool! Or if saving the planet is more up your alley, look for an energy efficient apartment. There are plenty of green amenities when it comes to finding what you want in a new home. Have a furry friend who you want to take off to college? A huge benefit to living off campus is being able to own a pet. Almost all dorms will not allow pets. It will be easy to find an apartment that is pet friendly and some even have pet clean up stations!
Food
Living in a dorm means you will be eating most of your meals out. A dorm "kitchen" usually includes a mini fridge and a microwave. While most schools offer dining plans, dining out can grow tiresome. Campus living can really put a limit on your food options. Orlando apartment life means you have a full kitchen to cook and entertain in! Many apartments in Orlando have upgraded kitchens. These upgrades can include glass stove tops, granite countertops, steel appliances and kitchen islands. You will also have access to a kitchen pantry. Here you can store all your canned goods or other food items that don't go in the fridge. Buying groceries and cooking in your own kitchen is the best feeling! Also, sometimes this comes out to be less expensive than the meal plan would be, if you were living in a dorm on campus.
Utilities
Utilities are included in the price of the dorm. Sometimes there might be a small fee to connect to the internet that is extra. If considering utilities is a big factor for you, dorms are not the only place to live where they are included. You can find a number of Orlando apartments that are all inclusive. This means that your cable, water, electricity and most of the time your internet, are all included in your monthly rent. Having all of your bills due at the same time can make it easy when it comes to budgeting for other necessities such as food and items needed for school. Make sure you do your research when choosing this type of apartment. You might actually save more money if you paid your bills individually, rather than having them bundled. There is also sometimes a cap on the utilities, be sure that you won't have to pay extra if you exceed that cap.