Maybe it's a little early for most people to be thinking about where they want to live next year, but in my opinion, it's never a bad time to start looking around! The apartment you choose is going to be your home for at least ten months, and you want to enjoy living there - it shouldn't just be a place you sleep. Here are some tips and things to look for in your home away from home!
1. Roommates
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First thing's first, you need to find good roommates! You want to live with people who you are comfortable around and that make you laugh. Nothing is more awkward than having roommates who you don't feel you can talk to, or worse, exclude you from the conversation. Your shared space is where you congregate and spend most of your time, so it should be a fun place for all of you to be together.
2. Beds/Baths
Do you mind sharing a bedroom or bathroom with someone? More importantly, do you want to? The answer is usually no, and when looking for an apartment, finding your own bedroom is easy - most student communities require one person per room. But the bathroom situation is a little trickier; rent can increase if you want your own bathroom. That's where most of your consideration should come in: if you have to share, can you find a place with a big enough bathroom to do so? Do you know who you're going to be sharing with? What are your habits, and the habits of the other person? Best to work that out early on, or you could be in for a nasty surprise down the road.
3. Utilities
Some - not all - places don't require you to pay monthly utilities. That's an important thing to be on the lookout for when touring apartments. Ask the question, and get the answer. Know how much you are willing to pay per month for your air conditioning, and more importantly, how cold or hot you're willing to get to keep that number low in the changing seasons.
4. Amenities
How far do you have to go to get in your daily workout? Lots of student apartment communities offer amenities like gyms, swimming pools, and more with no extra cost to you. When looking around, be aware of what things you can do for fun without even leaving the property. If you're lucky, it could be a lot!
5. Maintenance
GiphyUsually, free maintenance will be offered where you choose to live, if it's student living. But be aware of exactly what it is that maintenance will do, and what they have to call a third party to take care of. For example, how many days will it take for pest control to come and spray down the apartment for those pesky carpet beetles? Or, how long will it take for the leaky pipe in your bathroom to be fixed?
6. Parking
This should probably be higher on the list, but I don't actually own a car yet. Regardless, take the time to see how many parking spots are available at your chosen complex. Enough spaces for the maximum capacity of students to have one car each may be expected, but that is usually not the case. Lots of places bank on not all students bringing their cars to school, and while it may save space for them, it could leave you without a place to park your car at night...in the rain...after six hours of studying.
7. Distance to Campus
Taking into account the wonderful traffic that comes with living in a college town, how long will it take for you to get to school every day with your chosen mode of transportation? Can you drive to class five minutes before it begins and still be on time? Unlikely here at Texas A&M, at least in my experience catching rides with my friends. Are the buses reliable and on schedule? Usually yeah, until the train comes through and brings everything to a standstill (several times a day, might I add). Can you navigate traffic on a bike without getting plowed over? And how far away are you willing to be from the reason you're choosing this apartment in the first place - your education?
8. Price
Last, but certainly not least, how much are you willing to spend per month to live in your dream apartment? What's your budget for food and activities outside of the rent? This is perhaps the most important thing to consider when apartment hunting. Know what you can afford while still taking care of yourself in other aspects of life, and go from there. Maybe you won't get the room with a view or balcony, but all you really need is a bed and a refrigerator full of food to eat while you study. We all want more than that, but exactly how much more you get depends on the money you have, and trust me, it's a much more finite amount than you might believe.
