A Simple Guide To Living Off Campus

By Allie Mitchell on August 26, 2016

Living on campus can be an experience that can make or break your college career. Some people have bad experiences with housing and then bash housing altogether, while others have great experiences with housing and choose to live there all four years until graduation.

But, even if you decide to not live on campus all four years of college, the idea of living off campus can be just as nerve wracking as your decision to move on campus. They both come with their own sets of trials and tribulations that you will have to work through, especially if you have a roommate in both situations.

This article is going to hit on the points of what you should keep in mind when you are deciding to live off campus and how you don’t have to explore and make all decisions on your own. You are moving onto a more adult lifestyle when you choose to live in your own apartment, roommate or no roommate. The decisions you make are your own when you are all settled in and you have to fix your own mistakes.

I’m not saying people will leave you in the dust, but you are making steps to having your own independent life; you will have to learn how to navigate that without help sometimes. Living off campus, without the security of the university, can be a scary thing, but this article is here to make a few of those things a little easier to put into perspective and much easier to contemplate.

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Neighborhoods

Do your research before jumping in. You need to decide where you want to be living before you put any sort of deposit down.

What kind of atmosphere would you like? Make sure the area is safe. If you are still in school, how close is it in walking distance? Driving distance? Bus distance? Take into account the landmarks of the places you are looking into; are you close to anyone you know?

Make sure to look into prices as well; just because some place is your dream place, doesn’t mean you can afford it. Some things may just have to wait.

Budget

Speaking of money … you need to look into your accounts and start figuring out your budget plan. You won’t have all the money in the world to spend because you now have another responsibility: your rent. And that for sure needs to get paid on time or you will be kicked out and nobody wants that.

You will have to figure out food, rent, gas, and all the other essentials that come with living on your own and away from meal plans.

Roommates

This is all your decision. If you want to have a roommate, so be it, but make sure you find one that is good and one that you can live with for the amount of time you signed your lease for. Breaking a contract is expensive to either party, and I would think you would not want to go through all that. That being said, living with a roommate could mean splitting the cost of the apartment and also possibly having an in-house best friend.

Furniture

If you are like me your parents dish out old furniture like it’s their job. Hopefully you have a parent that is willing to lend you furniture or cooking utensils that you do not need. This saves you from having to buy all new, but in the end, most things you will have to get new.

For most people living off campus for the first time, where they move to most likely won’t be the place that they live in forever. So keep that in mind. You will be moving all your newly bought stuff at some point, so make sure they are things you will want to have around for a good bit of time.

Consult your parents

If you are close with your parents, ask them any questions. They might not know everything or anything about apartment hunting. But, ideally most parents will know what to ask the property manager when you are apartment looking and they always have your best interest at heart. They want you to succeed in your new place just as much as I do. You will need a strong support system if you are going to make it.

Living off campus can be a welcoming and humbling experience. Your school isn’t there to catch you when you fall, and you have to make your way through your own messes. But, if you chose to live on your own then you must think of yourself as ready for this new experience and new challenges. Just make sure you have the right people on your side when the going gets tough, because it will.

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