Like most URI students, you can’t wait until the semester you get to move “down the line.” This simply means living somewhere in Narragansett, off campus and free from dorm room nightmares. Before you celebrate your departure from campus housing, here are a few things to consider when moving off campus.
1. Save your money.
When living on your own, money goes quicker than you expect. You don’t seem to factor in the little things such as the cost of toilet paper and paper towels. They add up, trust me. Make sure you shop the sales; my saving grace has been my Stop and Shop card which saves me money in the store and on gas!
2. Pick your roomates wisely.
Living with your best friend may sound like the greatest idea, but think it through first. Sometimes living in close quarters can make people crazy. If you are a clean and organized person, you don’t want to live with someone who is messy. You also want to live with someone that you know will pay the rent and utilities. Once you sign a lease, you’re stuck with this person for the duration— there are no room changes off campus once you sign that piece of paper.
3. Choose the right location.
Narragansett is semi-large so you want to pick the right area. If you have a job in Point Judith, you don’t want to live in Bonnet Shores. Make sure you see how far from campus your house is, because who wants to commute more than 20 minutes, am I right?
4. Share responsibilities.
You don’t want to be the roommate who is stuck taking out the trash every week or cleaning the bathrooms. Talk to your roommates before you move in about equally splitting chores.
5. Check, and then double check.
Make sure you know what comes with your house and what doesn’t. Sometimes some utilities are included in the rent; sometimes they are not. Talk with your realtor or landlord before moving into the house, because you don’t want to move in and then realize you have no furniture. When you move into the house check for things wrong and let the relator know—you will want your security deposit back at the end of the year!
6. Understand your lease.
A lease is a legal document so you want to understand everything that is in it. Sometimes leases have odd demands; such as specifying that you cannot play beer pong in the garage or that you are not allowed to have a waterbed, which is a huge bummer. Know what you are responsible for and what the owner is responsible for. You don’t want to have to replace something that the owner would already do.
7. Money… Again.
Make sure you know how you are going to pay for your rent and other expenses. If you are planning on using financial aid, make sure it will be dispersed before your rent is due. Likewise, if you are using a check, make sure it doesn’t bounce. Some relators will charge you extra for these things, but we’re college students—we barely like paying extra for guacamole at Chipotle.
8. Have fun.
I know that’s cheesy but how cool is it that we go to school somewhere where we can live steps away from a beach? Living off campus has been one of my favorite parts about college so far; it’s better than I ever expected.