This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.
With the new school year upon us, we’re all still getting adjusted to our new living situations. As a sophomore, I’ve become more comfortable with my surroundings as a whole. But one thing that I wasn’t prepared for was living in my first apartment. Don’t get me wrong, I love it; my place makes my dorm room look like a shoe box. But, there are some things I wish someone would have told me before I moved in.
- Take of your internet/cable situation ahead of time — Depending on where you live, your rent may include cable. But, internet will be a separate situation and you want to take care of that early because no one can live without WiFi these days.
- Coordinate with your roommate —I was lucky enough to be able to go shopping with my roommate, but if that’s not an option for you, make sure you talk about what each of you are bringing. If you don’t, you may be stuck with four TVs and no plates.
- Figure out grocery shopping — Hopefully you or your roommate will have a car on campus, so plan out who’s getting what food and when they’re getting it. Pro tip: Always keep chocolate chip waffles in the freezer.
- Make sure you stock up on quarters — Unlike the #dormlyfe, LionCash doesn’t work for the laundry machines in apartment buildings. To wash and dry, it costs around $3 total. If you want to keep your three pairs of leggings that you constantly wear clean, collect quarters.
- Learn how to cook — I cannot stress this enough. Prior to renting my apartment, I had no experience in the culinary arts, so needless to say I was a little shell shocked when I actually had to learn how to make simple things. Honestly, I would recommend downloading the Tasty app on your phone. I mean, you’re probably watching their videos on Facebook in Econ102 anyway.
It’s true that having your own apartment is a lot of work, but it’s worth it when you take your first shower and realize you don’t have to wear flip-flops anymore.