Living in the dorms while you’re at college is definitely a fun experience for the first year or two. But as you get older, the dorms no longer seem a good fit as a living option. Other options, like an off campus house or apartment offer more privacy, more independence and less supervision by campus safety and checking in at a desk in a dorm. With these options, you usually are living with other people, but still have your own private room to do as you please.

This is why living in a college house and moving in for the first time, is a very exciting time. There is decorating to do, groceries to buy and room to add your own touch to things you wouldn’t have been able to in a dorm setting. You are also most likely living with people who are some of your best friends.

This is why I can’t wait to move into my college house in three weeks. I am living with people who I am bound to have an amazing time with and so far, we have loved picking things out for the house and deciding what to do with my room and other rooms throughout the house. Classes also start later this year, so it will be really fun to move in a little early and get settled before all the other students come.

It is also a very stressful time because I have never lived in “my own” house before. Things like figuring out cable and Wi-Fi, getting stuff fixed and dealing with a landlord, especially, are all new to me. Thankfully, I have my friends living with me, so we can all figure it out together. Another thing that should be interesting is grocery shopping, paying utilities and cooking. I’m not going to lie. I am an awful cook, so some of the things I make should be interesting.

The last thing is while you are saving money from not paying room and board in addition to your tuition, living in a house off campus can still become pretty expensive. Not only do some people pay rent without help from their parents, thankfully, mine are helping me, there are also the utilities, groceries and just plain living expenses that you should add into your budget when planning on living off campus. All in all, it will be a fun experience living off campus, it will just take a little getting used to.