[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you are a first year college student there is a good chance that you will live in the on campus dorms. However, after your freshman year you may be looking for a change.
When you are on this search there are certain considerations that you should make in order to love your new place of residence. Use the following guide to ensure that you love your new pad and consider all the factors that make a great place to live.
The first thing you should consider is your on-campus options. There are likely several different on-campus apartments that you can look into for housing options. In fact, student housing offers several comfortable apartment accommodations for students that still allow them to live in proximity to the college so that commute is not excessive.
However, if you want to get off campus, you should check into the housing options that are located in close proximity to the campus. This will reduce your commute time and ensure you are still in a reasonable distance to the school. Typically, the options that you will have off-campus include:
- Renting a house. There are typically several rental houses to choose from in a reasonable distance from the campus. Additionally, many homeowners will offer discounts to college students who rent their properties.
- Renting an apartment. If you live in a “college town” chances are you will find great deals on local apartments that are trying to entice college students to live there.
Once you are aware of the options you have to decide which one is right for you. Typically a house will offer more space than an apartment, but chances are it will also be more expensive. If you are willing to find roommate, however, a house may be the perfect solution to your housing dilemma.
If you decide to rent a house and search for roommates, you should approach this carefully. You need to ensure that the roommates you choose will not have conflicting personalities or not be able to pay their portion of the bills that you will have. This may require considering several applicants prior to choosing your future roommate.
Each of the considerations that are listed here will impact the college experience that you have. If you are eager to find housing outside of the dorms you need to consider your options carefully to ensure that you find the proper housing for your needs. No matter what you choose, you need to make sure that you can afford the monthly expenses and that it is not too far from campus to ensure a smooth transition from dorm life to life in your own housing.
