Visiting friends on campus takes extra effort for students living off campus. For students dissatisfied with the meal plan, whatever the reasons may be, living off campus means being able to eat anything. There's no hassle about missing a meal on a plan that is already paid for. The options for cooking at home are endless. Eating without a meal plan entails cooking every day and cleaning up after every meal.
Some people opt to keep a meal plan for the ease of prepared food and simple cleanup.
Moving out of the residence halls permits people to study in the quiet of their own homes without having to deal with a noisy study room or a rowdy resident. Roommates are still a factor, but study conditions in an apartment are often easily negotiated. Noisy neighbors can still disrupt studies, but the problems are much less frequent. One of the most pragmatic responsibilities a person assumes through the off-campus experience is money management. It may seem easier to just pay the bills in one lump sum and avoid budgeting, but there is no more practical skill than learning to manage funds.