A Few Things To Consider Before Moving Off-Campus

By Danielle Wirsansky on May 16, 2016

Living in a dorm on campus is almost like a rite of passage. It is something that almost every student does, for at least a semester or two.

But after that first step, all students look to the next milestone in college living: moving off campus. It is considered the pinnacle, the peak of college living. You are independent and on your own. It is symbolically the hallmark of a true adult.

Yet there are things that students definitely need to consider and keep in mind before moving off campus. Read below to make sure you have considered every aspect of moving off campus!

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Rent & Utilities

One of the less fun parts about living off campus is having to pay rent. I mean, you pay to live in your dorm as well but it does not quite feel like the same thing. You have a monthly fee to pay rather than being able to pay a flat fee upfront. You signed a contract in order to live off campus, so you have to pay every month instead. You also cannot be late with your payments or you will most likely be slapped with a hefty late fine.

You will often be required to set up your own utilities as well when you live off campus. This is not a concern when you live on campus, but off campus you will have to check with your apartment complex’s amenities. Do they provide WiFi and cable? Will they pay for your water? Do you need to set up your own electricity? It is on you to set these things up, otherwise, you will have to live without which could be exceedingly unpleasant.

You also need to keep track of all the payment dates, which will each be generally different, and pay your bills on time. If not, you will accrue even more late fees. All these separate bills might seem cheaper at first, but added all together can lead to a different story if you are not careful and selective with your services.

Many students also believe that living off campus will be cheaper than living in a dorm on campus, and often this is true. However, if you are not careful, you might end up paying even more. Calculate what the rent will cost in total over all the months that you have to pay for the apartment and compare it to what you would have to pay if you lived in the dorm. Make sure that you are able to afford it because oftentimes students can underestimate how much their rent will cost them.

Compare the length of the terms of your lease as well — most leases are at least 12 months. Were you planning to stay in your college town during the summer months? If not, will you be able to find someone to sublease your apartment to offset the cost of having the apartment for those extra months? Can you afford to have an empty apartment? These are all things you need to consider before moving off campus.

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Roommates

Having a roommate when you live off campus can either be a blessing or a curse. It can be great because you have the opportunity to choose who you want to live with rather than being randomly assigned a roommate. However, the downside can be the cost if you cannot find a roommate and having to deal with having a poorly matched roommate, regardless of if you get a random roommate or simply choose an ill match.

As mentioned earlier, one of the benefits of living off campus can be the lower cost. But if you cannot find a roommate to live with, the cost of living off campus can sky rocket. You will also need to consider whether you want to share a bathroom or not because having individual bathrooms will also increase the cost of your apartment’s rent.

If you decide to forge ahead and live off campus, the complex might allow you to be matched with other residents looking for roommates. If you are lucky, you will be able to establish a reasonably calm relationship with your roommate. Not all cases are so lucky though and you might be matched with someone that is a very poor match. And sometimes, even if you live with someone that you choose ahead of time, it can still be a poor match.

But when you live off campus, there are no resident assistants (RA’s) to help you navigate and negotiate your issues. There is no roommate agreement that binds both the actions of you and your roommate. You will not be able to get out of your lease or move apartments without incurring huge fees for breaking your lease and having to move.

So make sure that you do your homework ahead of time and have a good roommate that is reliable when you move off campus so that everything goes smoothly.

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