Staying in a Dormitory

My university is truly far from our place. While most of my classmates and friends can go home during weekends, we are just left in the dormitory or sometimes hanging around the campus. I stayed in an apartment for one semester and I did not try it again. There is a big difference in the apartment and in the dormitory, especially the living expenses, house rental, electricity and water bill, and house maintenance expenses. We are not rich and so I rather stay in the dormitory until I will graduate from my course.

A dormitory owned by the university is cheaper than the private dormitories. But the cheap price has its own consequences. Electricity and water supply is not always available. Water supply is from five in the morning up to eight in the evening. If you planned to go back late in the evening, you better save a pale of water for yourself before you leave. Typhoons and bad weather occur often and when these occur, electricity will be unavailable with or without prior notice for how many hours or days, and sometimes even the water supply. I have experienced the nights where we have to study for exams and we have no other choice except to use candles. The generator can not accommodate all the rooms. As always, these are the things that most freshmen complain with regards to our dormitories and so others will transfer to apartments or dormitories outside the campus.

But for us who can not afford living outside, we still choose to stay here. Our payment for one semester here is equal or less than their payment there for a month excluding the electricity and water bill. Safety is always assured inside the campus, I just do not know if the same goes outside. I also work as a student assistant in our dormitory, which is exclusive for women, and I can work more here than in other offices.

As you can see, there are more good things than the not-so-good things brought to us by staying in a dormitory owned by the university. That is why many still choose to stay here even those who can afford staying outside.