One of the most stressful experiences for any student going off to college is to find housing arrangements. With the enormous amount of students around the world attending college, there is no shortage of potential options for living situations. In order to determine what the best one is for you, it’s a good idea to prioritize important factors that match your ideal student housing needs.
For those who may be coming in as freshman or are trying out a new area, dorms or on campus housing may be the best choice. Living in close quarters with so many other students encourages social bonding, making it easier to build friendships than just through classes or extra curricular activities.
Other students looking for housing who may either be older or a bit more introverted, may desire more privacy than a dorm could offer. Many of these college goers in the United States opt for off campus housing arrangements. However, one of the burdens entailed with off campus student housing is the extra responsibilities laid on to the renter.
Living outside of campus means that all obligations surrounding the upkeep and financing of an apartment or house must be taken care of by the student. Rather than room and board charges simply being added to the tuition bill, standard housing requires organizing monthly rent and utility payments.
But even before moving in, there is a lot of work that must be done. Without the strict health regulations that schools must abide by, there is no guarantee of the quality of a rental. It’s important to always check for things like water damage or mold before signing the lease. These issues could these lead to serious health complications.
It’s also a good idea to investigate the current state of the rental. By checking for any existing damages and problems by taking pictures and submitting them to the landlord prior to signing the lease, the landlord cannot attempt to take advantage of you by charging for repairs in the future for existing problems.
The quality of student housing can have a drastic impact on an individual’s college experience. Making sure they are comfortable can lead to better academic and emotional standing.