It’s that time of year again when all the underclassmen, and occasionally some upperclassmen, plan on whether or not they should find a place of their own. While it seems that moving off campus is the best decision, the best way to go about anything is to plan. Here are some of the pros and cons to off campus living because, is it really for it for you?
Pros:
Living off campus gives you even more freedom than what you already had after taking the big leap of faith with transitioning into college. You won’t have to worry about your roommate sleeping five feet away from you or that if you don’t plan accordingly you might have ten girls before you in line to take a shower. An apartment gives you space to express yourself way more than you could in a matchbox-sized dorm. Off campus living gives you the opportunity to choose who you want to live with, and for all you candle-lovers, you can now light those candles all over the place. Enjoy nights of cooking with your roommates and have crazy movie nights. Quiet hours?–there’s no such thing. Now if you want to jam out to Chandelier at 9 a.m. you are more than welcome to.
Cons:
It’s time to grow up, start looking for a job, and save up because even if your parents are paying for the rent you also have to think about groceries and bills. Off campus living is not cheap. While your rent might be covered, it’s important to think about the monthly water, electricity, internet, and sometimes even cable bills that might all come separately. And if you’re planning on driving to school every day, forget it. You’ll be paying $200 for a parking pass to not be guaranteed a spot and then add gas to this equation. In some cases you even have to pay for parking at your apartment. And while you did pick the best girls possible to live with you, there is nothing keeping all of you from occasionally disagreeing with one another.
There are plenty of people who don’t rush into off campus living right after freshman year and just wait a year or two to decide. You don’t have to follow the crowd, and know that it’s not just you taking another route. Living in an apartment may be a lot of fun, but it also brings a lot of responsibility. There is nothing wrong with waiting and don’t believe those who say that you, “have to sign a lease before second semester because if not then there’s no chance of getting an apartment.” You never know what the rest of the year will bring, and there might be someone who ends up dropping her lease. Weigh your options and know that you will eventually have the chance to experience the joys of apartment living.
(Picture courtesy of http://b-i.forbesimg.com/johnhancock/files/2013/06/handing-over-keys.jpg)