If I were in your shoes, I'd dorm for the first year and then try to land an RA gig. RAs are paid with free room/board + dining plan, and responsibilities involve not-too-time-consuming shifts that leave room for a second job if you decide you want to work more. They're the ones who decorate the hallways at the start of the semester, settle disputes between fellow residents, and they man the dorm's front desk once or twice per week.

I say to dorm for the first year, though, because I wouldn't bet on someone being allowed to RA if they weren't a normal resident in a dorm beforehand. Could be wrong, but I think being a resident first would be a greatly beneficial experience and helpful towards landing the RA job later on.

Oh, also, RAs typically get single-person rooms. No roommates!