Commuting and Dorming at Ramapo: Seeing Both Sides

By ANTHONY ZURITA

A big that step goes along with a student choosing a college is deciding whether to live there or commute. That decision, which can be the difference between spending thousands of dollars more not, is one that can shape a student’s experience at Ramapo College

Troy Reyes, a Ramapo College junior, explains that he benefits from being a resident in multiple ways.

“As far as working on campus I don’t have to go very far, getting up and going to work is simple if I’m not otherwise busy. I also feel more able to be dedicated to clubs and other on campus activities”, Reyes said.

A student’s preference can vary on their interests. In Reyes’ case, he enjoys being very involved on campus as well as, being a resident helps who gets the most out of their time here. This reasoning is common in most students who not only want to attend a college but relish the social aspects as well.

However, a college social life isn’t impossible to achieve while commuting. Mohamed Eldib, a sophomore commuter at Ramapo College, is involved in multiple clubs on campus.

“At first I didn’t think that I would be able to join many clubs because I was a commuter, but since clubs meet at night, I just stay on campus for the meetings instead of going home after class”, Eldib explained.

There are countless pros and cons to living on campus and commuting, but there is one factor where a students’ preference can differ: location.

If a student lives near the school, living on campus may prove unnecessary, as the ride home may not be such an inconvenience to a student who lives 30 minutes or more away from the school.

Philip Glazman, a sophomore at Ramapo College, has had a chance to experience both sides of the debate.

“After being both a resident and commuter at Ramapo College, I have some ability to compare the two situations. I will be biased towards commuting because I prefer it.” Glazman said, “Being a resident is convenient because classes are less than a mile away, you could attend parties in their full capacity, and go to more events on campus.”

He then went on to share the benefits of commuting specifically to his agenda, “The benefits of commuting are great for me, and may differ for others. I live only 25 minutes away from campus, but the difference is huge. I’m able to split my time at work in New York and at school in Mahwah, and have less distractions. The most important difference is that when someone lives on campus, that is the only thing they know,” Glazman concluded.

A Drop In Residents

According to Ramapo College Commuter Affairs, 50 percent of Ramapo’s students are commuters. There are many speculations as to why the percentage is so high, but there are some students who believe that it is the college’s policies that are driving resident students to live off campus.

 

A sophomore at Ramapo College, who wished to remain anonymous, explains how the policies may turn off students to living here, “I have been a resident of Ramapo’s campus since I first came to this triumphant college. Needless to say, the on-campus housing was an entity that caught me off-guard as utilizing school legislation to treat students as children, rather than adults. Students are treated as if they cannot responsibly maintain a mature lifestyle, and are testified against abstract legislation for fines and other punishments. Ramapo students may actually return to on-campus housing if this conundrum sees a resolution, as testified by our mildly low occupancy rates.” said the student.

Students conveyed that there is much more to living on campus than being able to sleep in a little later and there is a lot more to commuting than just saving money.  Deciding to either commute or live on campus can definitively shape a student’s college experience, which is what makes this decision all the more important.