When most of your friends are headed off to state schools, it can seem really weird that here at Loyola you’re required to live on campus for two years. Of course, there are always ways to get around this rule, but for the most part, sophomores tend to live on campus. Don’t fret though, living on campus after freshman year isn’t all bad, and here’s why.

Freshman year you’ll live in one of five dorms; Mertz, Campion, San Francisco, De Nobili, or Simpson, but after first year you have a lot more options. Now you can pick from residence halls like the beautiful lake side Santa Clara, or if you prefer a double, Regis Hall. Another interesting thing about upper class men dorms is that some of them do not have front desks! If you’ve already lived or are living on campus, you’ll know the luxury of this.

Another luxury of living in upper class men housing is the over night policy. While living in first year housing you have a pretty strict non-Loyola student overnight guest policy. Once you graduate to second year housing you have much more relaxed guest policies and don’t have to worry about getting a guest pass 24 hours in advance to your best friend from out of town spending the night.

Living in upper class men dorms is also nice because it gives you a chance to adapt to living with a little more independence before actually getting your own apartment. You can live apartment style after freshman year which means you’ll have your own bathroom and kitchen. This makes it easier to cut down your dining hall plan (which you’re required to have) to only a five day and start cooking for yourself!

In the end, living in student housing for two years really isn’t that bad. It gives you one more year to live in a community with your classmates and not have to worry about adult things like bills and cooking. You’ll have plenty of time to live on your own and be an adult, so don’t rush it. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up loving your upper class men housing and keep living there till senior year, you never know!