Moving Off Campus

Deciding if you are comfortable living by yourself or with someone(s) will influence a lot of the following questions, so it is very important to start here.  Living by yourself can have its benefits! Space all to yourself, no negotiations with roommates, you (and only you) have to worry about the contents of the lease. Living with roommates can be great! Aside from people generally being social, roommates will often split costs and responsibilities in the living space.

While there is "data" out there for having roommates or not, it is important to start by reflecting. Can you afford to live by yourself, if that is what you want? Do you have friends who you would want to live with?

Take the time to reflect on you, and you'll be great!

Studios are best suited for those who want to live by themselves but can also work for couples. These can be the cheapest spaces and can also include "efficiency" amenities (bedroom/dining room/kitchen sharing the same space, smaller appliances, etc). These are also, usually, the smallest spaces so it is important to look at how much you own and how much you need to take with you.

"Full-size" apartments means - separate bedroom(s), full-size kitchen, a stand-alone living room, those sort of things. This housing option usually is the middle size and has the middle cost.

Rental houses are either partial- or full-houses with multiple bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, multiple floors, possibly even a basement! Since these are often the largest spaces, they tend to be the most expensive, but they are also the easiest to share with several people, dividing the cost.

How much space do you need? How many people do you expect to be living with? How much are you willing to spend on your living situation? These are the sort of questions to consider when looking at these three major rental styles.

Do you want to live close to campus? Or do you mind (or prefer) a long walk or do you have a bicycle? You might want to try walking from campus to the places you're considering seeing how long it takes you. You may not want to get up half an hour earlier to walk to that 8:15 am class.

• What's the neighbourhood like? Take a walk around the area to check out the vibe. To get an even better sense of what it's like, take a walk on a Friday night. If you prefer quiet nights at home, you want to make sure your neighbours don't throw huge parties every week.
• What feeling do you get from the neighbours? Do they seem friendly and, well, neighbourly? Or are you going to be frightened to walk out your door?
• How far away is the closest grocery store, and other amenities? This is especially important to consider in the winter months when you have to walk in the cold and the snow.
• Do you want to be near a gym? Or be near downtown?