Ah, adult life. When it comes to the more festive and enjoyable aspects of growing up, what could more exciting than finally having your own place? No more sharing a room with your siblings, fighting for the remote, or getting your food stolen from the fridge. And, if you score a place with more square footage than a Rubix cube, you've really got it made! What could be better?
I recently signed a year lease for an apartment larger than anything I believed was available. All the possibilities! I thought joyfully.
Unfortunately, as much as the "size matters" argument comes into play concerning real estate, there are certain aspects of living in a spacious apartment that deserve to be mentioned. So before you sign on the dotted line, read on:
1. It's usually not cheap.
Obviously. This goes without saying, but that extra bathroom, galley kitchen, or waterfall shower don't come cheap. So if you're dead-set on living in a larger space, make sure you have the dough to back it up.
2. Every bump, noise, and shift in atmospheric pressure will terrorize you.
Do you scare easily? If so, then beware: with multiple rooms, high ceilings, and an increased number of door hinges, the noise count will go up. Is that floor board creaking the footsteps of a knife-wielding intruder coming to slit your throat for no apparent reason? Who knows. Either way, it takes a while to get used to, so plan on not sleeping well for the first few weeks. Or months. Or longer.
3. There are more chores to do.
Extra space means extra work. Unless you really are loaded and can higher a housemaid to do the work, that bathroom needs scrubbing, those dishes need washing, and that floor needs to be vacuumed. Otherwise, you won't be seeing eye to eye with your landlord.
4. If you don't get a roommate, you'll be lonely.
What fun is a big apartment if you have no one with whom to share it? Since life isn't a Lifetime channel movie, most people don't get to find their soulmate and move into a new place together. Ergo, we look for a roommate. Getting a roommate has several benefits, including but not limited to: splitting the rent; sharing the chores and responsibilities; someone to talk to at the end of the day; second player for video games. As human beings, we thrive off interactions, especially positive ones, so making an apartment feel like a home can be the best thing you can do in a big space.
5. If you get a roommate, you'll want to be lonely.
Yeah, having a roommate is splendid until you find out that they're a complete tool. Roommate hunting is hard enough as it is, but if you were forced to compromise for financial reasons, and you find out they're not as "clean" and "quiet" as advertised, it can be awkward to work things out; it's not like you can leave to a different apartment after you finish butting heads.
With all this in mind, don't be discouraged from embracing your freedom and going for that studio apartment in NYC. Just know that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to adulting and apartment hunting.
