Living in the dorms is an exciting time, with the pros of being close to your friends, classes, and dining halls. However, two years of living in a tiny room with noisy neighbors really took its toll on me. Therefore, for my junior year, my two friends and I made a plan to move off campus. There were many steps involved in finding, moving into, and living in a college house, so here is my advice to those looking for alternative options for college living.
1. the planning phase
The first step to off-campus housing is to find roommates who are also ready to leave the dorms behind. I made the most obvious choice to live with my two best friends (who I shouted out in a recent Her Campus article listed below). We have always gotten along and had similar lifestyles, so it only made sense for us to live together.
Next was the hardest part: securing a house. We first looked at apartments (Celeron Square, the Oaks, and the Standard), but realized they were too far away from campus and shockingly expensive. Our next plan was to look at UConn’s Off-Campus Housing app to see if there were any rentable houses nearby. Luckily, we found many affordably priced and close to campus options. We started reaching out and booking tours, and eventually found the perfect option. Of course, the house we wanted was also desired by many other UConn students, as it was the perfect size, walking distance to campus, and overall had a beautiful colonial style. On the tour, we definitely tried to make ourselves stand out as responsible, smart girls looking to take care of such a nice home. We were lucky enough to be chosen for the house and have now signed the lease for a second year!
With the house secured, it’s time to set expectations with your roommates and plan what everyone will bring. It is important to discuss cleaning routines, who you want to have over, sleep schedules, and any other concerns you want to raise. This is a critical point, as it prevents any tension or awkwardness once you actually move in. Additionally, becoming an adult involves paying bills, so this is where you all need to lock in. Pick one person to be in charge of paying bills (it is scary to have your name on all the bills, I know from experience). However, this allows for consistency and easy Venmo/Cash App payments from your roommates each month. It is also important to make compromises when living with other people, especially when they are your friends, and you also wish to continue staying friends. For example, I got the biggest room, but they get to park their cars in the two garage spots. The final part before moving in is planning what everyone is going to bring to the house. A 2,000 square foot house is a lot bigger than a dorm, and requires furniture, cleaning supplies, kitchenware, and everything else you can imagine an empty house needs.
2. Settling in
Now that you’ve secured roommates, a place, and somewhat of a game plan, it’s time to lock in and make the house feel like a home! Our first step was making a joint Pinterest board and seeing what vibes we all wanted to see in each room. With that, you can choose what pillows, curtains, blankets, posters, and other decorative items you want to scatter around. Next, it’s good to build a routine that will best work for you. I work on campus, so I built my work schedule around when I have classes so I don’t have to be walking back and forth multiple times a day. Additionally, it’s important to plan your meals and groceries around how busy of a week you think you’ll have. Be ready to pack quick lunches for small breaks in between classes, but also have ingredients for your favorite dinners for when you get back from a long day and just want something delicious to eat.
While off-campus living is exciting, it is essential to keep in mind the logistics. Safety is a number one concern, and you should make sure all your doors lock, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are up to date, and you are following the guidelines established in the signed lease. I remember making fun of my parents for getting my roommates and me a fire ladder, blankets, and extinguishers, but I now know that anything could happen and we are responsible not only for the house, but our own wellbeing. Another reality of living in a house is that it can be expensive. Electric and gas bills add up, along with groceries, cleaning supplies, decorations, and other necessities. Make sure to track how much you are spending either weekly or monthly, and this will keep you on a sensible spending track.
3. enjoy it
Here comes the fun part: living with your best friends. College is only so long, so you have to enjoy every second here. We have thrown many themed parties for both holidays and birthdays, and we always have so much fun serving food, taking cute pictures, and laughing with friends. There is so much space in a house (and a big yard for people to park in), and it is so important to take advantage of that. Host when you can, even if people bring in dirt on their shoes, and there’s always a weird smell in the house you can’t seem to get rid of. Have movie nights, game nights, and any other activity you can think of. Dedicate a day to a house deep clean with your roommates and laugh about how the house got disgusting again after only a week since you last cleaned it. Use that kitchen as much as you can (even if it’s tiny and outdated like ours) to make new meals and desserts for everyone to try. When it’s warm out, throw your own darty and get the grill going and summer music playing. Most importantly, savor the little moments, like late night talks in the living room, crowding around in the kitchen, and just being in the presence of your favorite people.
My junior year seems to have flown by, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. It has taught me how to be independent, responsible with my time and money, and how to live well with others. Above all, it has given me the most special memories to look back to when I think about my time here at UConn. I have been so fortunate to have this opportunity, and I hope I have inspired you to consider college house living!