Not everyone has the traditional college experience of living in the dorms; but everyone eventually lives on their own for the first time– whether it be in college or not. Personally, I never lived in the dorms during my time at Michigan State University due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
My first year of college happened mainly from a computer screen in my mom’s basement. Following was my second year where I rented a house off-campus. This being my third year living on my own, I have learned many lessons, tips, and tricks that can be helpful for the transition.
Public Transportation
In many cities, public transportation is an excellent way to get from point A to point B. Thankfully, East Lansing has multiple bus routes going to and from campus, as well as routes traveling to all sides of Lansing. Sadly, I did not utilize the Cata Bus system until my junior year. This was mainly because I did not know how to. Now, I know that there are bus stops almost everywhere. To make it even easier, you can find what bus you need to take and from what bus stop, to get to your specific destination through the transit app. Additionally, bus passes can be purchased at multiple locations, including the Student Book Store. Student bus passes can be purchased for a discounted rate, including unlimited bus rides per semester. Even if you have a car, driving and parking on campus can be a waste of money, gas, and time. Some days I drive to campus, but I prefer to take the bus because it gives me extra time to do readings, and it encourages me to walk around campus more– which, in the end, is extremely fulfilling. Taking the bus to campus from wherever you are living off-campus can help make you feel more connected to the Spartan community.
Household Chores
When you are a kid, typically your parents would ask you to do chores around the house. Personally, my parents made a large effort to teach me how to clean correctly. This was extremely helpful when transitioning to living on my own. Unfortunately, some people do not have the same cleaning knowledge that I do. If you are living alone and struggling to come up with a cleaning routine, I suggest giving yourself one small task per day. For example, on Mondays, you could clean the bathrooms, on Tuesdays the living room, etc. Personally, I always try my best to pick up at the end of the night, including washing my dishes. Oftentimes, college students have busy schedules including classes and most likely working. It took me three years to finally get into a good cleaning-groove, (and I’m still learning), but now I find it almost therapeutic to come home and clean. My favorite thing to do is to put on a podcast while I am doing any household task. Bonus tip: listen to required reading while cleaning to save time and energy!
Chores and cleaning can look different with roommates. Everyone has a different cleaning style and a different schedule. It can be difficult to make sure that everyone is contributing equally. In the past, my roommates and I have made a chore chart where each person was responsible for a set of tasks for the week. For example this week I am responsible for vacuuming, the trash, and keeping the kitchen tidy. While my roommates are responsible for cleaning the bathrooms and keeping the living room tidy. Sometimes it can be hard to find a healthy balance that works for everyone in the house, and setting boundaries and house rules can be an awkward conversation.
Boundaries
If you are living with roommates, setting boundaries is essential. The first time I lived on my own I had two roommates. We were all friends and simply excited to be living with each other. Unfortunately, things went south very quickly. My roommates did not get along with each other, and I was in the middle. There were several conflicts between all of us that year and it was not pleasant for anyone. This experience taught me the importance of boundaries. I recommend that you do this before deciding to live with someone.
Some important boundaries to discuss are:
- Having guests over
- Pets
- Expectations for common spaces
- Expectation for dishes
- Expectation for fridge space and food sharing
- Personal space expectations
In addition, many folks have horrifying roommate experiences. When I was living in an unsafe environment and unable to change my living situation, attending CAPS drop-in meetings were helpful to get resources and immediate support. If you are experiencing an unpleasant and/or unsafe living situation, avoid isolation and reach out to professors, peers, family, and on-campus communities.
Finances
Some people are fortunate enough to be supported financially all throughout college. Oftentimes, this isn’t the case. Moving off-campus, or on your own in general comes with a new set of responsibilities; the most important being bills. This includes monthly rent, utilities, sanitation, wifi, groceries, subscriptions, gas etc. All of these things add up quickly and can be overwhelming. The first couple of years that I lived on my own, I decided to fly by the seat of my pants financially. I was making enough money to support myself– or so I thought. I would not allocate certain amounts of money for groceries and gas, leaving almost no money for personal spending. Or, the complete opposite would happen where I would spend too much money on personal things like clothes, eating out, etc. leaving me with no money for gas or groceries. This year, I finally decided to take control of my finances. I am still int the beginning phase of budgeting. I have found apps like Rocket Money, and Acorns, helpful to help track my spending and start investing small amounts of money. Budgets look very different for everyone, I just recommend that you have one, and start budgeting as soon as possible.
Living on your own and taking on new responsibilities can be daunting– I know it has been for me at times. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of adulthood, but I hope these four tips will help you get a head start.