Freshman year, I thought living off campus would be a glamorous, adult-ish experience. I signed a lease in December, 2014, with five of my closest friends to live in a house fondly known as Corner Pocket. We fantasized about living in our lavish home filled with novelty items, cool furniture, and obviously no CFs to monitor us on Wednesday through Saturday. One of our housemates even suggested we install a stripper pole (not confirming nor denying if it was me). By the time September rolled around, we realized some of our suggestions might have been a little unrealistic, but we were still ready to have an awesome year. As time went on, we noticed that we forgot some crucial details about living in a house. Depending on your circumstances, living in a house is like adding "off-campus living 101" to your class schedule. For one, we do not have someone cleaning our bathrooms every day. Second, we have to grocery shop. Third, we have to walk farther. Fourth, landlords can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. And last, but most certainly not least, we have to take out the trash.

Living off-campus can be a daunting experience, especially when you don't have any guidance. Depending on where you live, your home can be qualified as follows: a mother lives here, suitable for life, half frat house-half livable, and full frat mode. Regardless of your category, here are some tips and solutions to a few of the common struggles of off-campus housing.

1. Your house is dirty.

Solution: Clean. Really. It is that simple, If you are a really clean person (such as myself) and you live with some people that have questionable sanitary standards (such as myself), then you might have the bear the burden of being the housekeeper. Yes, your housemates should help out and it is fair to ask them to do so, but make sure you are living in an environment that is healthy for you... meaning if your standards for cleanliness are insanely high, you will have to be responsible for upholding those. The most you can ask from your housemates is to clean up after themselves (and hope they do).

2. You're hungry.

Solution: Eat. Oh wait, you have no food? Classic scenario. I never thought I would say I miss Benson after moving out of the dorms, but I am guilty of uttering this phrase more times than I can count. Several of my off-campus colleagues have dining plus or flex, so they can go to Benson in a pinch. If you aren't one of these lucky people, you have three options. First, grocery shop. Stock up on your food so you don't find yourself in this pickle again. Bring a friend along to make it fun and to support your decision to buy a pint (or two) of Ben and Jerry's. Second, you can order food. I usually use Door Dash to get food delivered from a variety of delicious places. Finally, you can ask a freshman with meal points to buy you food at Benson. I mean, why do you think we have freshman meal plans if not to feed upperclassmen? By no means is it acceptable to eat your housemates food with out asking. Major party foul.

3. You're studying and they're pre-gaming.

Solution: Go to the library. It is futile to try to study in your house, especially on a drinking night. I don't even have room for a desk, so really my only options are the kitchen table or the library. The lib is your bff when you live off campus. Plus, some scholars claim that merely walking into a library can raise your IQ up to five points! If you seriously can't make it to the library for any reason (like you broke your leg slipping on a mysterious liquid from your house's last pre-game or its below 50 degrees), ask if your housemates would consider quieting down or maybe pre-gaming elsewhere.

4. You're out of clean dishes.

Solution: Paper plates, paper bowls, solo cups. Disposable china is your friend when you are a college student off-campus. It cuts down the effort of cleaning and it's super convenient.

So whether you live in a sparkling home or a house where you might find a printer in your fridge one day (aka you live on Bellomy Street), hopefully you feel more equipped to handle the realities of living off-campus.