Is Living in a College Town Right for You?

What do you think of living in a college town? Your answer to this question will depend on your age, personality, and general experience with universities. So what aspects of college town life are sought after, and which are people happy to leave behind?

Engaging with its Social Diversity
Whether you’re a student or not, college towns bring together a diverse group of people. It can be a jarring experience if you haven’t had it before. Though there may be disagreements, fights, and grudges that come with it, once you become familiar with the atmosphere, interacting with individuals with all sorts of backgrounds, interests, opinions, and beliefs is one of the best ways to thrive and improve your understanding of humanity.

It can Feel Overcrowded
As much as people love to get together and be in the company of others, living in a college town can start to feel claustrophobic. If you ever leave the house, there are students everywhere.

They take up space in the grocery store, the movie theatre, your favorite restaurant, and even the playground where your kids want to play. It may be frustrating at times, but you’ll also learn the ebb and flow of busy times so you can avoid a student takeover and instead enjoy the relative quiet of the off time.

There’s Always Something to Do
Because of the masses, you may not always enjoy, there tends to be an increase in activities to take part in for everyone. Those large crowds are part of the reason your favorite restaurant is so close by, and there are usually new, innovative businesses coming in all the time.

It’s easy to find something to do without going too far either. Besides food choices, there are usually several movie theatres, bowling alleys, clubs or live entertainment centers to visit. And it gets better--because college students typically don’t have their own transportation, the public transit system is pretty reliable and cheap.

You See a Hike in Living Costs
One of residents’ least favorite aspects of living near a university is the increased living costs. If you live in an area with growing numbers of people all looking to live right in town, you shouldn’t be surprised to pay higher rent and food costs.

Everyone wants to take advantage of the transport and easily accessible entertainment, just like you. If you’re lucky, you’ll land an affordable BYU-I girls housing in town, but plan to work some overtime or set aside a few extra dollars to offset costs just in case.

Mature, Dependable Population?
College towns are obviously places of learning, where thousands or hundreds of thousands of young adults continue their coming-of-age experiences. And with those definitely come some immaturity, meanness, and failure.

It can become common for business owners to rely on hiring students who come and go like a breeze through the door because their priorities are holiday trips and Spring Break. When the students outnumber the local residents, it can take additional time and patience to make sure their naivety doesn’t affect your own endeavors negatively.

They Become Growing, Energetic Spaces
Just like you, university cities thrive because of the diversity and ambition that the university brings in. Not only is there business growth, but there’s academic and athletic innovation. The energy that comes from this swirl of new ideas invigorates the city and can give you an extra boost of motivation for your own expanding dreams.