Day: September 15, 2021

How to Choose a Roommate

The college experience is what you make of it. Part of this experience is your living situation. Roughly 2,654 individuals are in the rental market every day and in need of housing, according to the Rental Protection Agency. For many students, choosing off campus student housing is a huge step in their college experience. This is why it is imperative to make sure you are not only choosing a reliable landlord and place to live, but also a good roommate. After all, you will be spending a lot of time with them!

Living With Close Friends

Living in off campus student housing with your close friends can be a great way to grow even closer. You probably already have similar interests with this person, and you are familiar with their level of cleanliness and responsibility. However, living with people, especially in a small space, can also take a hindrance to a friendship.

The dynamic of your friendship may be a lot different when you are living together. There are responsibilities to spit up, bills to pay, and levels of cleanliness that each person prefers. Be sure to evaluate your friendship with this person on a deeper level before deciding to live with a close friend in a student rental.

Living With a Stranger

The word “stranger” often has a negative connotation. However, many people find that living with someone you are not friends with ahead of time alleviates a lot of stress and diminishes expectations.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself during the roommate searching process:

• Do they have pets?
• Are your lifestyles similar?
• Do they have a reliable source of income?
• Will they sign a lease and abide by it?

Many students may choose to live with more than one roommate, these concerns might compound. It is important to have a strong sense of how comfortable, respectful, and cooperative potential roommates might be.

Conclusion

Whether you are choosing to live in off campus student housing with an existing friend or a stranger, taking the time to evaluate your potential living dynamic is important and can seriously impact your off campus student rentals experience.

So you’re a student and you’ve decided to get off campus housing for students. You’re one of 87% of students who live off campus, according to a 2016 New York Times article. Perhaps you had been living on-campus and decided it was time for a change, or perhaps you weighed the housing options and you’ll be moving in for the first time. Either way, you want to make sure you have a good experience. It’s one thing to shop for apartments for rent and move-in, but another to live in them for the school year. Here are some things to keep in mind to make sure you have a great time.

Surround Yourself With Friends

If it’s not too late, ask around to see if any of your friends want to room with you. Having roommates takes a burden off of paying in full for apartments for rent, and you can benefit from this too. Additionally, having your friends close will help you have a better experience. They’ll prevent you from getting lonely or homesick and in general offer up a fun time. Ensure that you know your potential roommates well and don’t ask just anybody, otherwise, the purpose might be defeated. Sometimes living with someone is a different experience than just hanging out with them, so keep that in mind.

Don’t Overdo It

There are a lot of things you could end up overdoing. From trying to move too many things into your apartment, to going to too many parties because you feel you want the college experience. Remember that apartments for rent are not the same size as a full house, so pack accordingly and think about what you most need and what you’ll most use. This will save you time later and prevent your living space from being overcrowded. Also, keep in mind that you don’t need to go to every party you get invited to. If you get burned out, you’ll have a worse time than if you pick and choose where you most want to go. You can gain the college experience from many aspects of your school year, not just the parties or the housing, so take your time and soak everything in.

Balance Your School Life

Don’t forget the number one reason why you’re here: to get an education. However you decide to live your life and spend your time, it’s important to save time for school work and studying. You might be tempted to blow off an assignment here or there, but it’s not worth it. Doing your best and getting good grades will set you up for the rest of your life. You might regret not taking that hour to go out with friends, but your 30-year old self will be grateful for it. If you balance both your school and your personal lives, you shouldn’t have problems with either.

Remember to keep these things in mind when you move into your off campus housing. Find friends to move in with you, don’t overpack, and balance your time to have the best possible experience. If you do these things, you’re sure to have a great time, as well as a great year.