The hostel vs Off-campus lodge is a common debate among freshers.
Trust me, the argument about which is better is not going to end anytime soon.
Many years ago, I got to the University with the confusion about living in the hostel or off-campus. By staying outside the hostel, I mean a private lodge off-campus.
Like many of you, I have enjoyed privacy and comfort with my parents.
I got to stay both in the hostel and off-campus. I now know the advantage and disadvantages of living inside or outside school.
Some people claim that living in a hostel is the only way to achieve academic excellence. They further argue that the hostel will propel you to study.
Well, that is not true. You will see why as I walk you through this post.
Staying on or off-campus depends on finance, security, personality, etc.
For example, in no way will an introvert prefer to stay in the school hostel.
Also, someone who attended a boarding school would prefer to stay in the hostel.
In this post, I will walk you through the advantage and disadvantages of living in the school hostel or lodge.
Let me know in the comment box if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you.
Table of contents
Campus Life
Campus life is all about the experiences of interacting with other students.
No doubt, staying in the hostel will give you the best campus life experience. You will get to meet funny, annoying, intelligent kinds of personalities.
I remember how some students would be making animal noises at night to frighten others. It was an exciting experience for us all.
Living off-campus is not dull. Some lodges are quite exciting similar to the hostel.
The thing with lodges is that people get to keep to themselves.
Students come out to mingle when there is a problem with electricity or celebration.
Proximity to Lecture Hall
The main advantage of living in the school hostel is the proximity to lecture halls.
On most campuses in Nigeria, students in the hostel can get to class from their room in less than five (5) minutes.
The case is different for students living off-campus. This set of students would need to walk a long distance or enter the school shuttle to get to class.
It is a disadvantage if there is an emergency fixed class or test. Only students in the hostel would be able to make it on time.
Final Verdict
Living in the school hostel is the best option in terms of proximity to lecture classrooms.
Sanitary Condition
Most of the hostels in Federal and State Universities are in a terrible state. Sanitation is nothing to write home about in these school hostels.
You will go to shit in the toilet only to find out the previous user did not bother to flush. He has used his excreta to spell Jasper on the water cistern.
It is a worse experience for ladies who are susceptible to infections.
Sometimes, the cleaners would go on strike. Everywhere would be dirty and smelling.
It can be unbearable for students who cannot tolerate a filthy environment.
You will not get to deal with an unsanitary lifestyle if you live in a lodge off-campus. It is the primary reason why many students prefer off-campus.
For sanitation, living off-campus is the best option for you.
Academic Prowess
Living in the hostel will not make you study hard. Although, your roommates may ginger you to read as you see them go for night class.
It does not mean that only those who live in the hostels will get a high CGPA.
Staying off-campus is not a gateway to failing your exams. There are lots of students living outside school that are doing well in their academics.
Passing your exams depends on your source of motivation to study.
If you can only get serious by seeing other students study. Then living in the hostel is your best bet.
But if you are disciplined, then you don’t have to live in the hostel to make people push you to study.
Study Environment
A study environment is a place where you can read your books and understand.
For many people, it can be in a noisy or serene environment.
A student that can study in a noisy environment would prefer to live in the hostel. But a student who needs a serene environment to read may have to consider living off-campus.
It is important to note that some off-campus lodges can be noisy due to the playing of loud music, etc.
Student Privacy
Living in the school hostel gives you little to no privacy. Your business is also your roommate’s. You can rarely get free time to yourself in the room.
But staying in a lodge off-campus will give you access to unlimited privacy. You can do whatever that you like inside of your room if you live alone.
The good thing about privacy is that you can do what you like to do without external interference.
Your cornflakes would not reduce in size by the time you come back from lectures. You will meet your stuff wherever you left them when you get back to the room.
To maintain some level of privacy in the hostel. You must have to draw the line with your roommates. Tell them not to go through your personality stuff.
Finance
Living in the school hostel is way cheaper than staying in the lodge.
In most schools, hostel accommodation does not exceed forty thousand naira (N40,000). But a self contain lodge off-campus in most school cost as high as one hundred and fifty thousand naira (N150,000).
So thus, it is cheaper to live in a hostel.
Also, you will not have to struggle with paying utility bills like electricity bills, water bills, etc.
To stay in the lodge, you need to be buoyant in finance.
Ensure that you discuss with your parents the cost of staying off-campus.
Hostel Security
Security is a concern for many students due to cultism.
The hostel is safer because arm robbers do not usually take their activities to the hostel.
Most of the notorious students live off-campus. It is why there is usually one shooting or fight outside school premises.
If you want to stay off-campus, go for an area that is cool with good security.
You do not want to stay in a place where you would hear gunshots every day.
Ensure that you enquire from old students before you rent a lodge off-campus.
Student Personality
Personality plays a role in whether you will live in the hostel or off-campus.
Introverts can only recharge themselves after the day’s stress by being alone.
For this reason, many introverts prefer to stay off-campus than in the school hostel.
Extroverts prefer to be around people to recharge themselves. It is why they prefer to stay in the school hostel accommodation.
Preference for a school hostel or off-campus depends on your personality.
Loss of Personal Property
Stealing of phones and other personal properties is more common in the school hostel.
These thieves are usually fellow students who sell stolen properties to third parties. It is worse if one of your roommates is a thief.
On off-campus, stealing does not occur like in the hostel except for arm robbery.
Wherever you stay, it is necessary to protect your personal belongings from thieves.
I know this post has given you insight into the advantages and disadvantages of staying in a hostel or off-campus.
Let me know in the comment box below if you have any questions.
I wish you academic excellence as you begin your journey in school.
See also
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pls sir am a newly admitted student of anambra state university. i had a discussion with my dad about staying off campus because of the things i’ve been hearing that happens in school hostels, like stealing of personal stuffs and uncleanness of the hostel environment and the rest of them. but he complained about the costs of accommodations. so, pls, which is the most cheapest and closest lodge in anambra state university? plus, i’m an introvert and not quite comfortable staying or living around too many people.
I understand that you are concerned about the cleanliness and safety of the hostels at Anambra State University, and that you are also an introvert who prefers to have your own space.
My advise is for you to visit the off campus hostels with your dad. That way, you would be able to get an affordable hostel.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Pls sir, i’m an aspiring student of literature at aksu. 4 accomodation,i don’t know d cost of a room off campus,pls sir,i want u to help me find out
Hello Cherish
Congratulation on your admission.
The cost for single room is between 50-100k.
Do esut have separate toilet for each room
Yes, Favour
It depends on the hostel.
Sir thank you for the post, it was so helpful but I heard that the hostels in UNN enugu campus (unec) is not good for staying, what do you think about it
Hello Mark,
That information is not true.
Students in UNEC live in the hostels.
The choice is yours whether or not you want to live in the hostel.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Good morning,
Please I am a newly admitted student in unizik, I am having it difficult to choose between living in hostel or off campus, when it comes to the accommodation fee how much do I need to bargain for lodging a room off campus close to the school.
Congratulations, Anita, on your admission.
For off-campus accommodation, you should budget around one hundred and fifty thousand for a self-contained apartment.
I want to study medicine in delsu Nigeria do you suggest medical hostels or off campus and i don’t really like interaction with people but do tell me which is better
Hello Tabitha,
I recommend you stay off campus if the location is safe and void of distractions, like a serene environment.
Otherwise, you may as well stay in the school hostel.
UNN hostel in medicine students only , can a veterinary medicine be also be allowed, since they are all medicine students,
No, David
First year Veterinary students are not assigned to the Presidential hostel.
Hi! Great post. T’was very helpful. Just want to know on how to deal with roomate(s) who uses personal stuffs of others. How does one go about it if the roomate(s) has anger issues?
Hello Faithful,
I guess you are a lady.
Well, you have to set boundaries with your roommates.
Let them know the categories of items you do not want to share with others.
But note that your roommates will get to use some of your items.
The best approach is to find a way to lock the items you do not want to hear.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Sir,is is true that in your 100 level you should stay in hostel,to ask question on how things are done there
No, Success
It depends on your preference.
Hi, am going for Computer science in FUPRE and I wanted to ask if it would be better to stay in campus or off-campus, becos I don’t like sharing rooms and restrooms with others
Hello Pleasure,
Based on your preference, you might prefer to stay off campus.
The advantage of staying on campus is the close proximity to the school.
I’m an aspiring accounting student in Anambra state university would u advise me to go for hostel or lounge. I don’t know how rough the area would be
Qwin,
I recommend you go for the school hostel since you are concerned about the roughness of the off-campus lodges.
Please accomodation wise what would you suggest for an aspiring medical student going to anambra state uni
Hello Angel,
It all depends on your personality. If you can stay with people, you can stay in the hostel but if you cannot, I suggest you stay in a lodge.
Is the hostel accommodation fees per year or per semester in UNIPORT
Hello James,
The hostel accommodation is done yearly.
Please is it compulsory for medical students in Delsu to stay in the school hostel
No, there is no compulsion to stay in the school hostel.
But it is best to stay in the hostel during your clinicals.
The biggest fear i have now is Sanitary condition and theft!? I can manage with the rest.
I’m an apirant of Medicine and i was told b4 that Medicine students stay in separate hostel.
Please, does that make any diff from d normal hostels?
Or can i get room for rent INSIDE the school? “UNILORIN” how costly?
What’d you suggest Please?
Hello Dora,
I hope you are doing well and having a great day!
Yes, students in the College of Medicine indeed get separate hostel accommodation.
The sanitary conditions in these hostels are better than the regular hostels.
It is advisable to stay in the Medical hostel.
Though, you can consider moving off-campus later on.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Please, I need a lodge off campus in FUTO.Any best u know and budget from 80K near the school also (FUTO)
Pls where is the safest lodge at Unn
And can you draw a budget of the cost for two to three nights?
I have an exam next week
Hotel accommodation in Nsukka is between 5 to 15k per night.
The town is safe.
Where can I find a cheap and safe lodge at Esut
Where can I find a cheap and safe lodge at esut
Where can I find a cheap and safe lodge at Esut
Impressive! How can I reach you for accommodation at Boys Quarters at Staff Quarters near library? Between that and living at Uphill which is more conducive for privacy and sanitary conditions?
Hello, Abba
You have to be specific with the name of your school and campus.
It is the only way I can assist you.
Please how much is the cheapest lodge and safest
And how long will the payment last for the lodge
I wouldn’t know which school that you are trying to make inquires for a lodge.