Sponsored Content Tips for College Kids Moving Out of Student Housing

Ah, dorm life. That bittersweet combination of having friends and classmates around you all the time and dealing with the noise, chaos, and lack of privacy that comes with it. It’s fun for a while, but after a few semesters, many college students set their sights on something a bit more sophisticated and a lot more private: off-campus housing.

Away from the watchful eye of a resident advisor, far from the predictable cafeteria food, and into a space that’s bigger than a shoebox—if only slightly. When you’re ready to make the transition from dorm life to your new life off campus, keep these helpful tips in mind.

#1 Make Location a Top Priority

Staying close to campus is optimal, but there’s more to finding the right location than a short commute. Security should be among your top priorities. Take a walk around the neighborhoods that surround your campus to get a sense of how you feel in each area. Do you feel safe? Would you be comfortable walking home late at night? Is the street lighting adequate? You can use online tools to gauge the safety of specific neighborhoods, but pay attention to your gut instinct, too. If a certain area leaves you feeling uncomfortable, that’s a red flag. Keep looking until you find the location that feels right for you.

#2 Cast a Wide Net When Searching for Housing

Once you’ve chosen a suitable neighborhood, get an early start looking for your off-campus apartment or house. Your campus housing office may have a list of rentals or the names of landlords whom you can contact. Remember that even if a place is currently occupied, students rotate out every semester, especially around graduation, so be proactive: ask around, put flyers up on campus, and let your friends and classmates know that you’re looking.

Online, you’ll find apartments, cottages, and rooms for rent on Craigslist, but be careful of scams. Two other sites to check out are PadMapper and Lovely. Set aside a few weekends to see as many places as you can, and don’t be shy about photographing them and taking notes.

#3 Budget Beyond Rent

Beyond your monthly rent payment, you’ll need to factor in utilities which, on average, cost at least $200 per month. If your utilities are included in your rent, that’s a bonus for you! However, there’s still food, transportation, and household necessities that you probably didn’t have to think about in the dorm.

You should also expand your budget if the apartments you’re looking at don’t have furniture or appliances (though most places usually come with a fridge at least).

#4 Find a Roommate

Depending on your rent situation, getting a roommate might be a good idea—or an absolute necessity. Choosing an awesome roommate can make your off-campus life a pleasure. Should you share living quarters with your BFF? Only if they are super responsible, stay quiet, and pay their portion of the rent on time. If they aren’t, post on campus and on social media, or use an app to find a housemate.

As with choosing the location, pay attention to your gut. Listen for red-flag statements like, “Wow, we can have epic parties here” or “It’s fine to pay the bills late once in a while, right?” Spend some time with your potential roommate before you sign on the dotted line, too; if an hour-long conversation over coffee is emotionally draining, they’re not the person you want to see first thing every morning.

#5 Read the Fine Print Before Signing the Lease

Signing a rental contract, especially one that lasts for a year or more, is one time when it pays to read the fine print. Be sure that you are crystal clear about your landlord’s rules and requirements. Can you paint the walls? Are pets allowed? What about subletting? Also ask how you can reach the landlord in case of an emergency like a water leak. And on the day you move in, take pictures of every wall, baseboard, and window, making note of any existing damages so that you won’t have to pay for the prior tenants’ “handiwork.”

#6 Make Your House (or Apartment) a Home

When you’ve found the right place at the right price, picked a roommate, and signed the lease, it’s time to make your new living quarters feel like home. This is when the “free stuff” section of Craigslist comes in handy. You can also pick up some great deals on furniture and appliances at yard sales, especially at the end of the day, when sellers are ready to make a deal. In either case, beware of anything that’s upholstered to protect yourself from mold and dreaded bedbugs.

Don’t forget to thoroughly clean all the pieces you bring home, too. You can’t be sure what a secondhand chair or microwave has been through.

#7 Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Once you’ve taken care of the other tips here, it’s time to bring a bit of fun to your new place. Search the classifieds to find a used foosball table or invest in a little mini-fridge to store snacks and drinks. If entertainment is more up your alley, find a streaming service—Hulu and Netflix are both great choices if you’re okay watching shows after they initially air, while a service like DIRECTV NOW lets you watch some channels live. Or, if you want to liven up your living space (and your landlord is flexible), paint a wall with chalkboard paint to encourage some creative doodling. Anything that makes your apartment a little more fun for you will fit the bill.

Now imagine coming home after a long day of classes and relaxing in your new place without the pandemonium that came to define dorm life. You’ll enjoy more space, more freedom, and more privacy. It’s a new world, living on your own . . . One that might even make way for better grades and higher achievement. And isn’t that what college is all about?