When I was a freshman in college, I dreamed of getting my own apartment on campus with my closest friends. I couldn’t stand living in dorms anymore and I was getting sick of the dorm food day by day. Getting my own place actually taught me so much about what it is like to be an adult and how it is to actually live “alone”.

I would say I am paying a decent amount for an apartment on campus, compared to my other friends. I live with three other roommates and they are also in my sorority. The apartment is pretty new and we each have our own bathrooms! Before moving in, I thought there would not be any conflicts since we were all pretty close friends. After living here for almost a semester, I learned a lot about cleaning after myself and respecting other people’s space.

I realized that if I wasn’t going to do my own dishes, no one would. If I wasn’t going to keep my room nice and clean, piles of clothes and leftover dirty dishes would rise. Back at home, my parents did mainly everything for me. They would clean the kitchen, my room, and even wash my dishes. So, getting an apartment was kind of a huge step for me.

I also learned how to be a good roommate. My friends and I respect each other’s space and belongings. It took us awhile to get there and we realized that communication is key. I realized that getting a fairly nice apartment and paying a little more than the average will not always mean it is going to be clean and tidy. I actually have to do work myself to maintain a comfortable living space.

Overall, signing a lease has taught me how to be independent and I am now capable of actually being helpful around the house!