To Stay or Not To Stay? Students On Pros and Cons of Living On, Off Campus

By Mercy Oluwadimimu, Gloria Okpanachi, Beatrice Osiagbovo, Temiloluwa Ogunsakin, and Azeezat Olatunde

For Grace, living conditions in student hostels at the University of Lagos could be better. Although the 200-level English Education student chooses to stay on campus for easy access to key facilities and proximity to classes, she realises that living on campus also comes with trade-offs. 

“Living on campus also gives you little to no privacy, and all the while, you’re accumulating expenses to repair spoilt appliances in your room,” she says in an interview with UNILAG Sun. 

But she has had to put up with more. “My worst experience in the school hostel was living in a room with seven other ladies without a fan. I almost died!”

However, right after recounting this torrid experience, Grace related the brighter side of residing on campus. 

“Living in the hostel has also influenced my studies positively because of the easy access to the library. As for interpersonal relationships with others, I’ve learned to be firm and create boundaries. 

“There are many things I’d love to change about hostel life, though, including overcrowded rooms, incompetent porters, and maintenance plans that should be made,” she reiterated. “But in all, if I’m allowed to stay off campus, I’d still choose to stay on campus; I want to finish Unilag Wi-Fi.”

Unless they don’t mind sleeping under the bridges of Yaba, many UNILAG full-time students can not do without on-campus accommodation. The reality of the high costs of living spaces in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, is even more evident in the vicinities of the city’s premier university. 

UNILAG students have varied stances on whether staying in the school hostel or renting an apartment outside is better. But for some, after all is said, whatever decision they eventually make feels like trying to solve a different version of the centuries-old dilemma poignantly expressed in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: To stay or not to stay? 

Some would rather chew a jean jacket and step it down with water than consider staying in a school hostel. As for other students, their only affordable option is the school hostel, and they have embraced it with all its faults and excesses. Factors such as financial wherewithal and strong individual preferences for the community as against privacy, security as against freedom, and ease of access as against comfort of any sort may make the decisions easy for many students. But the fact that each student arrives at different conclusions means there is no correct answer, only your answer. 

UNILAG Sun spoke to four other full-time students in addition to Grace to capture the scope of divergent views and ascertain the different reasons students give for choosing to stay or not stay on campus. 

Ibukunoluwa, a 300-level Mass communication student, said:

I chose to stay off campus because I prefer a quiet environment in which to focus on my studies and enjoy personal space with less social interaction. I stay in a residential area about 20 minutes away from school. It is around the Shomolu axis and is relatively safe, especially during the day. However, I always return home very early for security reasons. Transportation cost is quite decent. This choice has positively influenced my studies because I have a dedicated space to study without interruptions. My biggest challenge is the lack of interaction with my peers, which causes the occasional feeling of isolation. I’d still choose to stay off campus over the school hostel. 

Anthonia, a 400-level Creative Arts student, said:

Living on campus is for people with tough skin, and it’s mostly hell. I see no reason why anyone who can afford a better choice would choose that life. The advantage is the opportunity to form bonds with people, like my roommates, who make the experience worthwhile. But the cons are endless: the bedbugs, stuffy rooms, the inadequate water supply, and the limited sockets in the kitchens. The list is inexhaustible. I think my worst experience in the hostel was the previous session when I was in Amina, struggling with the epileptic power supply. If allowed to stay off campus, I’d take that opportunity with immediate speed. I want nothing more than to have space for myself.

Adora,  a 300-level Mass communication student, said: 

I lived in Gbagada but am now in Pako. While I was in Gbagada, the place was mainly secured, but the transportation fare gradually increased as the economy worsened. I began spending 800 to 1,000 for t-fare, which prompted me to move. The only challenge is the need for more water. We hardly have an interrupted power supply. If I had an opportunity to get a school slot, would I take it? No, I won’t! 

Esther, a 300-level Sociology student, explained:

I chose to stay in the hostel because of its affordability. In this T-pain era, who has extra money to spare? Another reason is that I like the hostel vibes. It can get slightly overstimulating, but I like the drama as something happens every three market days. I’ve always been blessed with good roommates, and they made my stay more fun. Of course, I do not like things about the hostels, like the overcrowding, misuse and uncleanliness of the kitchens and restrooms, the lack of standard appliances, and many more. I’d stay in the hostel repeatedly if these changes were made.