Every once in awhile I still feel as if this whole “college” thing is in its experimental phase — that, should I decide it’s just not working for me anymore, I can pack up all my stuff and move back home.

After all, dorm rooms are meant to be temporary. If I move out, the university will start looking for someone to fill the empty spot, and life will continue as usual.

This idea has been destroyed since I put down a deposit for a full year’s rent for my very first apartment.

Like many freshmen, I have decided not to return to the dorms my sophomore year, an idea that is both terrifying and exhilarating. After all, Daniels Hall has played such an essential role in my freshman year.

Without this dorm, I would never have met some of my best friends, or gotten involved in activities. The support network I have found has made my freshman year so far not just bearable, but amazing. As much as my hall-mates and I complain about the cost of living in tiny rooms that have never once been the perfect temperature, I am honestly not sure I could have survived “living on my own” this first year.

The whole process of finding a new place to live has been much easier than I thought it would be, but I have to imagine that this is not the case for everyone who looks for a place off campus.
If you are thinking of leaving the dorms, or moving out of your parents’ house, and you have not started to look for a place, I would recommend that you start looking today — wait much longer and you could easily find yourself with no options.

First, you need to consider a couple essential things. For most of us, this is the first time we have this kind of decision-making power. For the first 18 years of our life, our living arrangements were decided by whoever supported us financially — it is pretty hard to argue with someone about where you live when they are paying for it.

Once we started college, we usually had two options — either live at home or in the dorms. Now we did have some say in the matter, but it mostly boiled down to how many roommates we wanted and which end of campus was most convenient.

Even then, we didn’t all get our first choices. I wanted to live in Stratford, and even though now I could not imagine living anywhere other than Daniels, I was pretty disappointed when I found out I wasn’t going to have a bathroom in my own room.

As you start planning out your next year, I urge you to very carefully consider several things. Figure out what your ideal living situation is, what parts of it are most important to you, and try to match it as accurately as possible, given your budget and time restraints.

This is not something to do halfway. I cannot imagine something more stressful than getting caught in a horrible living situation and having to find a new place to live while trying to keep up with grades.

Here are some of the factors I considered:
Sleeping arrangements are a huge priority for me. I have a brother and sister who are much older than me, and so since the age of eight years old, I have effectively been an only child. The idea of sharing a room with three other people and a bathroom with a whole floor terrified me.

I didn’t think I could make it work. Surprisingly, I now find it harder to sleep when there is no one else in the room, so I know that I will have no problems living with roommates again next year.

On the other hand, I have friends who tried the roommate thing and it didn’t work. You might have to compromise on this matter because of finances, but make sure you will have your own space. Otherwise you and anyone you live with will grow to resent each other, and that is stress that no one needs.

Another thing to think about is food. I personally cannot wait until I am no longer required to have a meal plan, because I know that with some creative shopping, I could eat for two days for the price of one meal here. But I am a good cook — if you aren’t skilled in that area, you will either need to continue with the meal plan or start testing frozen dinners until you find some you like.

Chores are another factor to consider. It’s important to figure out a division of labor and schedule, and stick to it. Be honest about your needs — you might require a pristine bathroom, so either make sure your roommates respect that, or offer to make that part of your chores.

Safety also needs to be kept in mind. Cincinnati is a dangerous place. I plan on taking self-defense lessons before next year and stocking up on pepper spray. Don’t be stupid — anyone can be a victim of a mugging or other random act if they are not cautious.

There are other factors to consider, but hopefully this gets you thinking about how you live your life and what is required for your peace of mind. I still cannot believe that I have effectively stopped living at home with my parents, but I am not nearly as terrified about it as I could be because I have thought things through as meticulously as possible. This isn’t an experiment anymore — it’s time to live in the real world.