First college apartment: a couple of useful tips

People often say that college years are the best years of your life. They look back reminiscing, thinking about all those times where you really didn’t have a care in the world. But, if you are experiencing that time right now, perhaps you might have a different perspective. There are so many choices and you are expected to make all of them and be certain that they are the right ones. Which college should I pick? Which student dorm should I pick? Should I even pick a dorm at all? If you have decided that you are not the best person for dorm life perhaps you have chosen to live in an apartment. Or you have already been living in a dorm for a while and now it is time for a change – time for your first college apartment.

Time for your first college apartment!

Living in an apartment off campus can bring you a lot of independence and bring your life in college on a whole different level. It also comes with a lot more responsibility. Living in an apartment means taking care of things on a daily bases and being aware of many things that didn’t concern you until now. There are many choices and picking the apartment is the first one. We have come up with a list of tips for your college apartment.

1. Picking the first college apartment

Before we even talk about living in your new home, we need to take a step backwards and pick the apartment. You already know what do you like, and that is the easy part. But you probably don’t know what to look for. If this is your first college apartment, and even if it’s the fifth one, there are things you might miss. We have listed here a couple of things you might overlook, so check it out:

⦁ If you have the chance, talk with the people who live in the same apartment complex so they can verify for you all of the things that the owner or the landlord has told you, regarding noise, conditions etc.
⦁ Make sure that there are no pests or any invasion that can create problems with hygiene and health
⦁ Revise everything and don’t just glance. Turn the machines on, open the doors, roll the windows, and try out electric installations. You will be paying for them, it’s your right.
⦁ Make sure that you have read thoroughly your contract and that everything is legally sanctioned so there wouldn’t be any problems in the future
⦁ Double check which machines and furniture come with the apartment and which don’t so you wouldn’t count on something that is not part of the deal
⦁ You are going to need a good network coverage in your first college apartment, so don’t forget to check that out while you are looking for your new place
⦁ If you are renting your place, try to reach out to the previous tenants. You want to know everything you possibly can about the person in whose apartment you will live in.

2.  Living in your first college apartment

Now that you have picked your first college apartment, it seems like you are finished with all the problems. We are sorry to inform you that that is not the case. Below you can find more tips on what to do when you start living in your new place.

What to expect in your first college apartment?

⦁ Before you do anything else take pictures of the condition you have found the apartment in. It would be preferable to do this with the landlord or owner present.
⦁ After taking pictures, clean the entire apartment. No matter how clean it is, you can’t trust someone else when it comes to your hygiene and health. Read here how you can do that efficiently.
⦁ Make an arrangement with your roommates regarding paying bills, buying food and cleaning the place. Try to be as clear as possible when it comes to your needs so that you wouldn’t be misunderstood.
⦁ Once you start living in your own apartment you will see that the expenses are pretty big. There are many ways to save money and the easiest one is to shop in bulk. There are always things that will never go bad, such as toiletries, so use discounts whenever you can.
⦁ One of the best tips about living in your college apartment is to get to know your neighbors. They can help you when you are in trouble, take care of your place when you are away, and be a shoulder to cry on when no one else is around.
⦁ People don’t usually invest time into decorating their first apartment and that is why they never have the feeling that the place is actually theirs, and they refer to their parents’ house as home. It doesn’t matter if your place is your own or you are just renting, fill it up with your belongings and you will feel much better.
⦁ Now that you are off campus you are responsible for your own safety. That means that you have to make sure that your doors are locked and that you have turned off all machines after you use them. No one wants to come home to a burned kitchen only because they left the stove one. In addition to this make sure that you are protected from floods or any other hazard.
⦁ Sounds like a very obvious tip about living in your first apartment, but people often forget about it – make sure that you have changed your official address and that all of your mail will come to your new home.
⦁ Explore your new surroundings and see how you can enjoy some exercise and hobbies without spending a lot of money, you are a college student after all. Always check for student discounts!

Living in your own place can be both a blessing and a curse, so make sure that you are prepared for everything and enjoy your freedom!