I'd live on campus, so I could get fully involved there, and meet more people - it's easier to do these things if you live on campus. However, I'd try to live in either a themed housing, or mature student housing. Places where there would be fewer freshmen.
My daughter was in a dorm all four years. The junior senior dorms were just older students. They were in general more quite, most students were consentrated on their studies and finishing up their degree.
You need to weigh out costs. Can you get a single dorm room. What is the cost of a apartment by yourself.
Do you want to share an apartment? Many student share a house, would you have your own room. Don't forget to add in utilities.
Do you want to grocery shop and cook? Do you have a car? Can you drive and park on campus for classes, can you find a place within walking distance.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.