by A.C. Turley

Created on: September 08, 2009

There should be a mandatory college course called, "Guidelines To Living Off Campus" that everyone has to pass before moving into off-campus housing for the first time. In fact, another course entitled, "How To Be A Good Roommate" should be required too. If my many housemates and I had taken those courses, we would have enjoyed our initial experiences away from dorm-life hassles even more. Maybe then I wouldn't have had a misunderstanding with roommates over our heating bill. Maybe then a roommate wouldn't have woken me up at 3am while watching Lost Boys at full volume when she couldn't sleep. Maybe then we would have all understood the importance of chores before the mold monster grew. While it can be blissful to be free of worries about studying during distracting dorm events, or showering with limited privacy, or even dealing with the laundry bandit, living off campus has stresses and perks all its own. Before committing to off-campus housing, every student should weigh his options before deciding if it's truly the most advantageous move.

The first thing "Guidelines To Living Off Campus" should cover is whether moving off campus is financially prudent. It usually is, but review your existing room and board expenses and compare those figures to what renting an apartment or house in your college town will cost. Upfront expenses for rentals often include paying the first and last month's rent, plus security (for damages), cleaning and pet deposits. Landlords will want to see a bank record, or some evidence that you can cover these costs. Keep in mind too that some colleges will charge a fine for moving off campus too soon, and some tie scholarships to on-campus residency, so find out if either situation applies to you. Also, don't forget to consider the regular expenses that living outside of a dorm will cost you, like: groceries, gas, water/sewer, garbage, electricity, and phone/internet services. Some landlords will cover certain utilities, especially in apartment complexes, but rarely all.

In addition, unless you plan to eat pizza off the floor every night, living off campus requires purchasing some homey essentials like furniture, dishes, a vacuum cleaner, and so on. You may also have to invest in large appliances like a microwave, washer and dryer and refrigerator too, depending upon what the rental includes. Yard supplies might be necessary as well, unless you choose to rent an apartment, or you find a landlord who will provide yard care. Sounds like

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>