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"It's actually really enjoyable," Lipschutz said of his commute. "I think I'm losing weight."
While some students move out of dorms and into apartments that lie among GW dorms, Lipschutz is one of a number of students who chose to abandon Foggy Bottom life altogether and move off campus - way off campus.
Brian Hamluk, director of GW's Office of Off-Campus Student Affairs, said students typically move to Northwest neighborhoods such as Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle in their quests for off-campus housing. Last semester, 1,600 students chose to live outside of residence halls, though it's unknown how many live outside Foggy Bottom.
Dan Melman, a local real estate agent with WC&AN Miller Realtors, said college students typically opt for off-campus housing to secure some independence from life in residence halls.
"While proximity to the University is appealing to some, others see a benefit in having a retreat away from the campus," Melman said. "Whether it is the appeal of living in a vibrant neighborhood with shops and restaurants or living in a more affordable neighborhood, there are lots of reasons to look beyond Foggy Bottom."
With only one bad experience - biking into a stopped car - Lipschutz said he's convinced that it's quicker to ride his bike from his apartment to the Marvin Center than it is to walk there from Mitchell Hall.
"It's great because I don't have to be near crazy campus life," Lipschutz said. "Instead I'm near crazy Dupont life."
Students might face unanticipated difficulties when they opt out of University housing, such as hidden costs, potential landlord disputes, transportation difficulties and a general disconnection from the campus community, Hamluk said. But some students seem to enjoy having a place of their own that often costs less than a room on campus and less than a room on campus and comes without University supervision.
