>>1747574>is it affordable/cost effectiveYes. Definitely cheaper than renting.
If you find free places to park then you'll easily save yourself the $1200 a month you'd normally spend on rent.
Only extra expenses are what you'd spend on a vehicle anyway; registration, insurance, maintenance, fuel etc.
>while going to universityWell that's the thing.
You have to keep in mind where are you going to study, where are you going to write up your papers etc.
universities have a lot of facilities but you cant 100% rely on them for everything.
Also, you need to consider local laws, parking spots etc. Assuming you're American you're probably going to be parked at a Walmart parking lot 4-5 nights a week and you need to be prepared and willing to put up with this.
Cops WILL knock on your van and tell you to relocate at 3am or risk a fine.
Drunk people WILL fuck with your shit or make noise as they walk past while you're trying to sleep.
If crime's bad in your area, people WILL try to break in and steal shit.
If your vehicle breaks down you dont have a home until it's fixed.
You need to figure out where/how you want to shower, cook, eat etc and if you're prepared and willing to put up with those conditions for the full 3 or 4 years of your degree.
If you're happy with showering/shitting in the gym or exclusively on campus for 4 years and cooking with a gas cooker in the local park out the back of your vehicle then go for it.
Not everyone's so mentally strong to put up with that shit for that long though.
Remember, van life is usually a means to an end.
If yours is to save money while studying at university and you think you have the mental fortitude to make it then go for it.
Most people do vanlife as a way to save money on accommodation while traveling or as a way to be near /out/ stuff on weekends without having to commute.
Over 4 years you could save $40k in rent, or you could come out a nervous, unstable, ungraduated wreck.
