The Independent Variable

Do you ever feel like school is catered to the students who live on campus and their only responsibility is to get their butts to class on time?
You are one of 27,272 students here at the USC Columbia campus and almost half of you are undergraduates. According to the University’s Web site, 67 percent of undergraduates do not live on campus. For those 67 percent, college life is much different.
I took a random sample of about 300 students from a Socy 101 class. 64 percent felt that college was catered to the on-campus student. Kevin Dixon, a junior who lives off campus said, “Commuting to school takes a big chunk out of my day. Kids who live on campus don’t have to find parking or worry about which gas station will be out today.”
Emily Supil, sophomore and business chair for the student senate who lives on campus, made an excellent point when she said, “With all the facilities and amenities that are on campus, students with jobs sometimes can not take advantage of these things. I've found that students with jobs usually put priority in jobs over school, as in, they go to work for a night instead of studying for a test.”
Dixon agrees. He bought a meal plan, just as he does every semester, but this year something at the Russel House was different. “They stopped putting the home cooked food you get downstairs into to-go boxes. If I want to take something home, it has to be fast food.”
So what about students with bigger problems than finding parking, like children? One student said she’s got two kids and is lucky to get in an hour and a half of studying every night. Supil, taking six classes this semester said, “I have not found it difficult to study for 6 different classes though, but I do have the time.” She studies 2 to 3 hours per night.
There lies the difference. Students who live off campus are on a much bigger time crunch than students who have everything at their fingertips. “You go to school for 5 hours a day, work for 4, then you have to make sure you eat and keep your personal hygiene. It leaves a much smaller window of study time,” Dixon explained.
Everyone wants independence, but when it’s actually here, are the responsibilities more time consuming than liberating? Unfortunately for the 67 percent of us who have gained some semblance of independence, the minority rules and college will continue to challenge your everyday life. Don’t worry, it builds character!

Photos

Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World
Panama City Beach
On the road. Look closely to at the hat to see why I took the picture.