The time has come for Temple students’ next step in finding freedom: moving off campus! This is when you figure out what the heck you and your girlfriends are going to do for next year — and how to find a place to live your best life. More freedom is on the horizon. You want something clean, safe, affordable and aesthetically pleasing, but you also dream of privacy and your own bathroom. To have a kitchen where you can cook meals? Beats that communal kitchen ANY day.
Let’s face it, along with the thrill of leaving communal bathrooms, there are so many things to think about. I talked to a few girls leaving campus for apartment-living just outside of our TU home, and you’re not alone when you think this is a bit overwhelming.
Here are some tips to help:
- Remember: You have time, but don’t procrastinate
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Places like Diamond Green have told prospective renters that they will have spots open until April or May. Some girls I talked to said this is still early-bird time to be looking for housing off-campus, but the more appealing places to live get taken quickly.
- Make a plan
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I know this can seem simple, but making a plan can mean constructing a simple outline. You may be trying to find a place with three of your friends but everyone has a different schedule. Find times where you can view living spaces a week or two in advance to ensure that most of you can make it. Once you wait too long, the place may be gone.
- Perks may not match the quality of the apartment
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The girls I spoke with warned me that there are some places that “show off” what they have. Some have game rooms and some will try to impress you with their hospitality when you go on a tour. This is not a guarantee that their place fits your needs, so keep an open mind.
- Don’t expect to see a perfect apartment
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Most apartments have people currently living in them. That means that you may view a super messy apartment or a very clean one, it depends on the renter. Don’t let that sway you away from a potential sell. Be aware of how it fits your needs and how that previous renter treated the place.
- Know how far you want to go
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Most residents live up to places on Gratz Street, but some are more comfortable with quicker walks to campus, like on Carlisle Street.
- Be open and communicate
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This can be easy for best friends to handle, but some of us just met in our first semester! Communicate about financials, how many rooms you want and transportation. Some roommates may feel okay about commuting to Temple but others may not.
- Know what you’re all willing to compromise on
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You could be best friends since birth, but that doesn’t mean you enjoy living in the same room. Would you be willing to have a one bedroom apartment to save on money? Would you want separate rooms? This plays into making a plan and understanding what each other wants.
- Find roommates that fit your needs
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Maybe you’re a Tyler student and want someone to come home from studio late with or maybe you’re a night owl and need others to accommodate that. Maybe you’re a neat freak. Remember that finding a place to rent is just as important as finding the perfect people to rent with. Once you sign that lease, you’d rather feel more comfortable knowing you’ll all get along.
- Find roommates, fast!
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Temple has plenty of Facebook groups for this. You can let people know what kind of roommates you’re looking for and they’ll reach out. A great tip given to me was that some apartments near here charge a fee to place you with random roommates. There are places that will deduct a certain amount from your first months rent if you rent with the right amount of people to accommodate that apartment space.
- Know your decorating preferences
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Some people don’t even worry about this, but when looking for a place it’s better to have a vision than none at all.
- Figure out who is in it for the long haul
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Sometimes things can change for a roommate and they have no choice but to back out. Try to get a sense of who you’re looking to move in with first, to ensure they won’t back out and you’re down two girls. Life happens, but planning ahead and making sure you know who is all in can make a difference when you’re about to sign that lease.