Picking an apartment over 82 square feet

These junior girls are six of the roughly 80 Princeton students who are living beyond FitzRandolph Gate this year, including those living in eating clubs, Undergraduate Housing Manager Angela Hodgeman said. A few students are compelled by the University to live off campus because of disciplinary issues, but most choose to do so because of their Housing Department-determined fate.

In virtually all cases, it seems to be a positive experience. "With the extra obligations comes a lot of freedom," noted Peter Eichler '08, who lives less than a hundred yards away from the girls in an apartment above Lahiere's Restaurant.

The extra obligations, however, are not insignificant. As far as residential life is concerned, the biggest issue most Princeton undergraduates face during their four years is choosing a group for room draw. For all other issues, though, the University's Housing Department is just a phone call and a quick fix away - at no charge.

Students living off campus lose that cushion of support and are forced to grapple with the "grown-up issues" of daily life. By and large, these students have dealt with their domestic responsibilities - rent payments, electric bills, appliance repairs - with only minor difficulties.

Williams recalled a brief crisis with her radiator earlier this year, when the steam valve broke, filling her entire bedroom with white steam for a few minutes. "I think we've had a lot of little ‘wow, we should be adults now' moments," Haslam said. "For example, we had a gas leak at midnight and had to figure out what to do and who to call. In the dorm, I would have just knocked on my RCA's door and asked him to deal with it."

Eichler recalled the time last year when he and then-roommate Grant Gittlin '08 had their power go out after a complication with their electric bill payment. The two had to live by candlelight for five days until the problem was resolved.

There is a consensus, however, that these quirky incidents have not only turned into funny memories but have also made these Princetonians more self-sufficient and better prepared to live on their own after college.

Of course, students living off campus are not entirely independent. The role of the Housing Department has been replaced by the oversight of a landlord. Some students make a concerted effort to establish personal ties with their landlords, while others try to maintain a comfortable distance, only contacting them when absolutely necessary.

Undergraduates looking for housing have a particularly difficult time finding landlords who will agree to rent to them because so many are wary of typical college students' lifestyles. Most off-campus students were turned away from renting apartments and houses in which they were initially interested because the landlords refused to rent to undergrads.

Eichler said that he didn't have a place to live until an hour before he left for summer vacation at the end of his sophomore spring, when he received a call from his realtor informing him of an available apartment. He accepted it on the spot.

To help alleviate the concerns of the landlord - the owner of Lahiere's - Gittlin's parents co-signed the lease and met with the landlord personally, establishing a connection that has remained strong for more than a year and a half.

Because the majority of students who live in town are less than a five-minute walk from campus, not being a part of the residential experience at Princeton has not isolated them from school. Furthermore, being involved in student groups and eating clubs also keeps these students firmly rooted in on-campus life. At the same time, several genuinely enjoy their new, unique connection with Princeton Borough. As Haslam said: "I love feeling like a part of the non-University community, living near great places to eat, rooming with my five best friends and interacting with people who aren't concerned about independent work or GPAs." Though some students confess that certain friendships have suffered because of their distance from campus, all of those interviewed say they have welcomed the opportunity of having extra space provides for entertaining. During the past year, the six girls on Witherspoon Street have hosted friends for a Christmas party, the Super Bowl, small dinners and birthday celebrations. They noted that they have to be careful not to make too much noise and be conscientious of their neighbors, but otherwise they haven't had any problems with the Borough Police, experiences shared by the other undergraduates interviewed.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

In short, for those students longing for some extra space and freedom but who are also prepared to deal with new responsibilities and get a taste of living in "the real world" a little early, living off campus can be a great option and often costs less than or about the same as University housing if the costs are split among several roommates. While actually finding housing can be the hardest part, the proximity to campus, and the warmth, personality and safety of the town make living in the town of Princeton ideal for college students. Describing her four-bedroom apartment, Haslam gushed: "It is amazing that ... it is this big, this close to campus, and actually costs us less than it would to live on campus. Living here with these girls has been one of the best parts of my Princeton experience."