During the last few decades, more and more people started thinking about a zero-waste lifestyle to preserve our planet. This is especially true for the younger generation, who are extremely concerned about the future of the planet. For example, students often try to incorporate environmentally friendly behaviors into their daily lives, so it doesn’t become a burden for them.

Sometimes, the desire to minimize waste is influenced by other factors, like rising housing costs, the desire to live together with classmates or friends, and a need to create a community. As a result, the trend of micro-living on college campuses has been born. This trend is all about the construction of small living quarters for students who want to reduce waste.

These living quarters are usually less than 500 square feet in size. Campus administration often adds built-in furniture and storage solutions that are perfect for students. Some students might experience trouble with a concentration in such living quarters, so they often use essay writer services for their assignments. However, this is a small price to pay for better and greener living!

Are you interested in learning more about this trend? This article is just for you! Read on to learn about the fundamentals of micro-living, its benefits, and the challenges of such environments in the real world.

What is micro-living?

So, as it was mentioned before, this is a whole trend in lifestyle that implies functionality in space, effectiveness in your activities, and reduced waste as a result. Students have to maximize the possibilities of their areas and resources while adding to the sense of community of other residents. Let’s take a look at the fundamentals of this way of life:

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• Space optimization. You need to maximize the use of all the available space, for example, using built-in furniture, wall storage, convertible beds, and compact tables.
• Efficiency. This is something that every campus pays attention to, including energy-efficient appliances, water-saving fixtures, and eco-friendly materials.
• Multi-functionality. Since the space is very small, you will have to use your room for living, studying, and sleeping. Consider looking for a paper review example in case you lack inspiration in a small area! This will take some time to adjust for sure.
• Community. Micro-living communities often prioritize community and social interaction, with shared zones and amenities that encourage residents to interact with one another. This can include shared kitchens, lounges, and study areas.

Benefits of micro-living

This is a very unusual type of accommodation for sure. Students often have to deal with a lot of stress when they adjust to life on campus, away from their families, and pressured by all the deadlines and homework assignments. On the other hand, even though it might take them some time to adjust, learners can clearly see the advantages of switching to micro-living!

Affordability

Lots of students can’t afford to rent out an apartment and move out from campus. With the rising housing costs, it only makes sense to find a solution that works for most residents! First of all, units are much cheaper to build as compared to small apartments or dorm rooms. Also, these units don’t need a lot of maintenance and upkeep, which is more cost-effective in the long run!

Autonomy

This new existence can offer students a sense of independence and autonomy, as they have their own space to call home. Unlike traditional dorms, which often have communal living spaces, micro-living units are usually self-contained, which allows you to have a greater sense of privacy and ownership. In other words, you have your own unit where you can sleep and relax.

Tightly knit community

Speaking of working together with other residents, it’s very important to maintain a sense of community with other people who share the space with you. You can hire the best essay writing services and spend more time with other inhabitants, sharing tips and tricks on a sustainable lifestyle. There are many shared common areas to do that, like lounges and study spaces.

Sustainability

As it was mentioned before, micro-living is a great opportunity for students to introduce themselves to a more sustainable lifestyle. Small units don’t need a lot of energy and resources, they need less electricity, lighting, and heating. You can push your boundaries even further and try to leave less waste behind! By collaborating with other residents, you can achieve a lot together.

Minimalism

This is a huge part of this trend, as more and more students try to lead a minimalist lifestyle. It’s been popular in general across the planet, taking root in a more sustainable way of life. This can be seen as a benefit because students can decide for themselves what is important for them and what can be left behind in terms of material possessions. 

Challenges of this lifestyle

As you can see, there are many advantages to adopting this unique way of life. On the other hand, it can be rather challenging to switch, especially when you are used to other things that surround you. For example, sleeping and studying in a confined space can be hard for those people who are used to having more room. 

Here are some other issues that might arise:

Limited space for your belongings

Some people might be used to small living spaces. However, students often need a lot of personal things for their normal learning process, for example, their laptops, books, and studying materials. The solution here might be sharing some of the belongings with other residents, especially when you are in the same class.

Lack of privacy

In case you value your personal space, it will be pretty hard to adjust to sharing your environment with other people who also require some sort of privacy for their activities. You might want to find a quiet studying place outside of your headquarters and return to your units to sleep and relax only.

Adaptation period

Adapting to leading a more minimalist lifestyle is challenging for those people who have a lot of possessions. In this case, you need to accept a shift in your mindset and be prepared for sustainability and comfort instead of clutter.

Takeaway

So there you have it, all you need to know about the new trend of micro-living. Of course, you can adopt some of the fundamentals of this trend, but without proper housing units on campus, you can’t fully commit to this way of life. School administrations all over the country are starting to see the value, and maybe this will become the new standard!

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