The importance of residence

I strongly believe in the importance of being in a residence in the first year of one’s University career, as opposed to living on one’s own or in a house, or digs as they are known as, with other people. I believe in the importance of this for a number of reasons.
Firstly it is highly convenient for one to live on campus where facilities are widely available to you and can be accessed at all times. The use of these facilities, such as the library and the computer labs, allow students to realise that they are living in an academic environment, where studying is the most important aspect of University life. Living on campus means that it takes a mere five to ten minutes to reach a lecture venue, ensuring that you’ll never be late. It takes the same amount of time to access the University’s many and diverse facilities, such as the gym, tennis courts and other sporting facilities for those who enjoy sports, and similarly close to the Rhodes theatre, for those who enjoy performances of that nature. I believe it is imperative for a student new to the University to be in close proximity to everything, as it assists in making the task of fitting in easier. Because one does not need to drive around campus if one lives on campus, new students tend to find their way around the University and get accustomed to it much more quickly and easier if they are on foot.
Apart from the convenience of being in the hub of campus activity when one lives on campus, it is convenient, too, when making friends. I believe that it is much more difficult for one to make friends and other connections when one is living by oneself or with just a small group of people. One makes most of one’s friends in the first year of University. It is a time when lifelong friendships are formed and connections are made. It is of ones benefit to be in a residence in first year because i believe that the experience of living and interacting with people who are not necessarily like yourself or are not normally the type of people you would interact with, is a character-building and life altering lesson that is important for everyone to learn. It paves the way for tolerance, acceptance and understanding of all individuals.
Of course, there are exceptions and i believe that if one has been out of school for a longer time than most and he or she is older when he or she starts University, then it is not necessary for them to be in residence, as they may very well have already experienced what first years fresh out of high school have not. In fact, they may even feel uncomfortable having to partake in residence activities that are not age appropriate for themselves. In this case, it would be appropriate and sensible to enter straight into a residence of one’s own in the form of a digs or a flat.
I am delighted that Rhodes offers the chance for all first year students to be able to live in a residence. Most Universities only have a limited number of residences and therefore there is a strict selection process involved in getting into these residences. I believe that this is a shame, as then so many students miss out on the ultimate University experience.