The Residence Life program at the University of Mary strives to create a balance that translates into a fantastic college experience for all students. This balance includes fun, academics, involvement, leadership, support, challenge, and outreach. Living on campus can improve your grades, help you make friends, and improve your overall quality of life while in college. Take a moment to review through these highlights that articulate the advantages to living on campus: Convenience When you live on-campus, there is no need to spend time grocery shopping, cooking, or driving back and forth to campus. While off-campus students are getting up early to scrape the frost off their car windows for the long, cold drive to campus and looking for a place to park, you will be sleeping in a bit longer because your classes are just a short walk away. Great Value Living on-campus is also a great value. When you consider that on-campus students get high-speed Internet service, Cable TV, local phone, heat, electricity, computer labs, and free use of laundry facilities, living on-campus is indeed a great value. It is also important to add in savings you will realize from not having to commute, buying gas, buying groceries, and eating out (on average, commuter students eat fast food meals six to eight times a week). Student Success In comparison to students who live off-campus, students who live on-campus are much more likely to: Get better grades Meet more friends! Participate more in campus life and extracurricular activities, such as dances, intramurals, religious activities, student athletics, student organizations; music; drama; student leadership positions; volunteer activities; and informal study groups Develop leadership skills through leadership positions in campus activities, student organizations, and service projects Are more likely to graduate and do so in four years Events and Fun! Our alumni and current students tell us living on-campus was a big part of the fun they had as a student. They often tell us that by living on-campus, they met a lot more people and in the process made many lifelong friends through participation in events on campus and in the residence halls. Studies confirm that students who live on-campus report they enjoy college more than commuter students.