Preparing to Live Off Campus
If you’ve finished your first year in college, you are probably looking at moving off campus. While browsing your UW off campus housing options may be exciting, this lifestyle comes with a unique set of challenges. Living outside of a residence hall presents a lot of responsibility. While moving into off campus housing gives you more freedom, it also requires strategic planning. Here are some questions to help you prepare for this change.
Why Do You Want to Live off Campus?
Living off campus is exciting, but it comes with many challenges you wouldn’t have in a residence hall. For instance, you may be less motivated to class when you need to wake up extra early to get there on time. Additionally, it requires more motivation to get involved with clubs or social activities when you need to drive to get to campus. Therefore, you need to have a good reason for living off campus aside from it seeming fun.
Is It Cheaper?
When funding is an important consideration for your family, you will need to look at the cost of housing options. You want your off campus option to be cheaper than the on campus housing. When browsing your off campus options, look at the amenities offered by cheaper places. If you can find someplace decent, but it doesn’t have water, power, wifi, or anything else you may need, it will probably be cheaper to stay on campus.
How Will You Get to Campus?
The worst part about off campus living is that you will need to walk, drive, or find another way to get to campus. When you find a place, this should be your primary concern. If driving is the best option, ensure your school offers parking passes for commuter students. You can also look to see if the university offers a shuttle to your housing complex.
What Necessities Will You Need?
The cleaning services offered by residence halls can easily help you forget the necessities required for keeping up with bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. For instance, to stock your kitchen, you will need pans, pots, utensils, dishes, and cleaning supplies. On top of that, you will probably need to supply your own furniture for every room. If you have family nearby, you can probably ask them for help with stocking your new space. If you choose to live with a roommate, you can coordinate with them to bring each item.
What Is in Your Lease Agreement?
Those who have never read a lease agreement before may not be inclined to read theirs. However, it is important to read each section before you sign it to understand your responsibilities, payment due dates, amenities, and lease length. Note, you can often find an apartment to live at for one semester or choose to sign an agreement for a full year.
Once you are eligible, you are probably going to want to try living off campus. However, it requires a lot of planning to make this transition. Answering these questions will help you get set up for success.
