Saying goodbye to your dorm room and hello to your off-campus apartment? Well congrats! This is a very exciting time for you.
No more random middle of the night fire alarms that give you a heart attack, shared bathrooms where you always need shower shoes, or twin sized beds that never seem to feel comfortable. You are in the world of off-campus living now and it is 100% as awesome as it seems. But before you start reigning in the freedom of a shower-shoes-free lifestyle, there are a few tips you’ll need for living off-campus.
#1 BUDGET!
Living off-campus comes with a lot of responsibility, including managing a variety of bills and extra expenses, so learning how to budget and budget well is essential.
You NEED a healthy budget plan that includes all the necessities: rent, utilities (water, heat, electric and safety features like smoke and carbon monoxide alarms), basic furniture, laundry, food and toiletries.
You may need some help, especially if you’re a rookie off-campus resident So, do some research–seek help from others if you need it, and start embracing your #budgetlife.
#2 Learn how to shop smart.
The number one rule to shopping smart is knowing where to go. Find the places with the best prices and frequent sales, and steer clear of the places with high prices that will beef up your grocery bill.
Insider’s tip: the best places to go are Trader Joe’s, BJ’s, Market Basket, ALDI’s and Stop & Shop. My personal favorite is Trader Joe’s–I’ve literally spent $30 on my total weekly grocery bill, plus the food is healthier. It’s a win-win!
ALSO make sure to buy your paper products and dry foods in bulk, you’ll save more and it will last you longer. Get ready to turn into a sale addict and a coupon junkie.
#3 ALWAYS be prepared
It’s time to hone in on those mom skills and get yourself ready for your now on-the-go lifestyle. You’re in school and most likely involved on campus, have a job, are physically active while trying to juggle the responsibilities of living on your own off campus. So, to say the least, you are going to need a very well prepared and organized on-the-go bag. A few things you may need to get you started:
-Reusable bags
-Granola bars
-Cell phone and laptop charger
-Workout gear
-Deodorant
-Umbrella
-Water bottle
-Tampons and Pads
-Tylenol or other pain relief of your choice
-Headphones
You never know when you’ll need to make a quick grocery trip on the way home, or when you’ll need a little snack to get you through class. Without adding too much weight to your bag, pack it with some emergency on-the-go essentials that you know you’ll need.
#4 Meal prep
Plan your meals ahead of time so that you a.) know what you need at the grocery store and b.) don’t spend frivolous money on last minute meals. Use pinterest! It’s loaded with tons of quick and easy healthy recipes that you can prepare ahead of time.
Also be aware of what your meal schedule is going to be like. Maybe you don’t have a lot of time in the mornings to make breakfast so you need quick breakfast options or you have a busy day and little time in the morning and need to pack breakfast and lunch the night before.
#5 Don’t boycott the cafeteria
Although the cafeteria food isn’t always five star worthy, it can make your life easier. Consider signing up for a 5 meal-per-week plan, so that on those crazy busy days when you might not have enough time to prep for, you have something to help get you through.
#6 GET A CROCKPOT
One of THE easiest ways to make a meal is by using this magical gift from God known as, the crockpot. So, invest in one. You’ll be glad you did.
#7 Gear up!
Now that you’re not living on campus and your classes are not 2 minutes away from your dorm, you are going to have to adjust to the commuter lifestyle, especially when it comes to fashion. That means you are going to have to prepare the right gear. You’ll need to invest in: walking sneakers, snow boots, rain boots, rain coat, winter coat and other winter essentials.
If you want to rock your style without the sneakers or winter boots, just bring a change of shoes with you.
#8 Chores
Whether you live alone or with roommates you are going to have to adjust to the added household responsibilities. Create a cleaning schedule to get the essentials done (cleaning bathroom, kitchen countertops, vacuuming etc.). It doesn’t always have to be such a chore, you can make it fun with some tunes and good old fashioned dance cleaning.
#9 Be proactive
If you are not planning on staying at your place during winter or summer break, find a subletter or AirBnb your place because unlike campus housing, you have to sign a 12 month lease.
DO NOT wait until the last minute to find a subletter or set up an AirBnb because especially in the city, you have to take care of these apartment responsibilities early. Plus, we all know how stressful the end of the semester can get, so do yourself a favor and just take care of it early. Seek help from family members and friends if you need it and just be proactive.
DO NOT wait until the last minute to find a subletter or set up an AirBnb because especially in the city, you have to take care of these apartment responsibilities early. Plus, we all know how stressful the end of the semester can get, so do yourself a favor and just take care of it early. Seek help from family members and friends if you need it and just be proactive.
#10 ENJOY
Last but not least, enjoy your new off-campus freedom and reign it in. Take a shower without shower shoes, let those candles burn, buy a space heater or whatever else your heart desires. Living off-campus definitely comes with responsibility but it is also a lot of fun and you aren’t restricted by silly dorm rules anymore, so let loose and enjoy it.