“Figuring out cooking and organizing your schedule, going grocery shopping, everything like that,” journalism junior Paige Murray said. “It’s a big adjustment to make.” 

The absence of one’s guardian isn’t the only big adjustment these students need to make; they have to get used to meeting their landlord. Your landlord is one of the key people you will meet and connect with when it comes to living off-campus.

“Sometimes you guys won’t agree on stuff or if stuff breaks, you then have to text your landlord, and then they’ll get maintenance in here,” Murray said. “It’s just a whole process sometimes, it can be very stressful.” 

Although experiences with a landlord and living on your own without your parents can feel scary, that is not all that comes with off-campus housing. You get to experience a rite of passage with your roommates: growing as young adults who are experiencing being solo for the first time in their lives.

“I love having my own room,” Murray said. “I love my roommate, I’ve roomed with her since freshman year, but I love having my own room.”

Additionally, Murray said the space that comes with off-campus housing is a plus — especially when choosing a house over an apartment.

“I can have like 20 people over, whereas when I was living in the dorms, I could only sit like five people in there comfortably,” Murray said.

Some students may struggle to find the place that is perfect for their college experience when applying for off-campus housing their sophomore year. Looking at different places to lease for an academic year while also making sure the reviews and utilities are good can feel overwhelming. Journalism junior Alise Genter said her decision to sign a lease for an apartment over a house came down to the an analysis of costs and benefits.

“I actually talked with my mom a lot about it,” Genter said. “She helped me with the application process as well as making a pros and cons list of all the places we went to.”

Although the process of applying for off-campus housing does not take place until October — 10 months before move-in — students can begin researching and touring homes that they are interested in before that. However, zoology junior Addison Hoddinott attested to the competitive nature of the housing hunt.

“The most difficult thing that I think I experienced with the whole process was just the rejection,” Hoddinott said. “You could find a place that you really liked and apply through the companies only to get rejected.”

Many students look forward to off-campus housing because of the excitement that comes with it. However, there can be some downsides that come with living further from campus.

“Our campus is so big, and I don’t have a car,” Hoddinott said. “If my friends who have cars aren’t around, it can be difficult to make my way around the campus.”

Finding time to research off-campus housing while managing homework, classes and work can become stressful for students. Murray, Genter and Hoddinott advised those seeking housing to apply early and to reach out to as many places as possible.

“Take a deep breath, it is very stressful,” Murray said. “I know I was very overwhelmed with all of it, but in the end, you won’t end up homeless.”