Anyone who has ever lived in a college town knows that they’re not like other places. It’s hard to understand unless you’ve experienced it yourself, but the difference is undeniable. Of course, you don’t have to be a college student to enjoy the benefits—or suffer the drawbacks—of living in a college town.
Before you pack up your bags, here’s what you should know about living in a college town.
The Cost of Living is Usually Low
Let’s face it, college students aren’t the most financially stable people. Surprisingly, most landlords don’t mind lowering their prices. That’s partially because colleges bring more business to the community, but, also, the steady influx of students means landlords can fill their rentals more consistently. That’s why Chapel Hill apartments tend to be competitive with similar housing options in Charlotte and Raleigh.
Traffic Can Get Very Congested
Driving anywhere during rush hour sucks. Driving anywhere during rush hour in a college town sucks even worse. Whether it’s a smaller area like Aberdeen, South Dakota, or a big city like Boston, Massachusetts, traffic is going to be an issue when you’re sharing the road with cars full of bleary-eyed students rushing to make it to class on time.
There’s Lots of Art & Entertainment
One thing that college kids have a lot of is creativity. Another thing they have a lot of is free time. Put those two things together and what do you get? Lots of interesting art and entertainment. Any time you have so many diverse, imaginative, and ambitious young people in the same place at the same time, you’re going to get live music, art exhibitions, poetry readings, and more. Who knows, maybe you’ll even rub shoulders with a future star.
Sports Will Always Be a Big Deal
Having a college in your town means having a college sports team in your town. For a lot of smaller places that don’t have major or minor league teams nearby, the college team becomes the center of their sports universe. Even people who don’t have friends or family attending school will go to every game. Sometimes it seems like all anybody wants to talk about. If you like sports, you’re in for a treat. If not, you better get used to sportsmania real quick.
The Summers Are Very, Very Quiet
Living in a college town is almost like living in a funhouse mirror version of a normal town. In what way? Well, in most places, summer is the busy season; it’s when everyone is out and about, having a good time. Then comes winter, and the streets are empty because everyone is indoors. In a college town, it’s the opposite: when all the college kids go home for summer, the whole place gets eerily quiet.
