Hello, hi there! Have you finally come to the conclusion that you have to either move out of your parents' house or the university dorms. Well, congratulations on trying to adult for once in your life.
Now that you have taken this brave step (you trailblazer you), I'm assuming you are terrified out of your mind and want to go back to being a child. Don't sweat it, apartment living is hard but it's nothing you should fear!
Here are some ways you can brace yourself for the impact.
1. A good friend doesn’t a good roommate make
First of all, get the roommate situation fixed. Try to live with people who you can trust and not be annoyed with. It is not necessary that living with a friend is always the right decision, sometimes friends are the worst roommates.
2. Step into the kitchen please
Learn to cook for yourself, it can be very tempting to go out and buy your food but that can really add up in costs.
3. Healthy living
When you do cook for yourself, you are more aware of what you are putting in your food and can ensure a healthy diet and keep tabs on the calories.
4. Be a lean, mean cleaning machine
Make a point to clean your apartment and your room at least once a week, or share these duties with your roommates. Once a week may sound a lot, but this way you are more responsible and avoid living in a pigsty.
5. Fine furniture
Invest in either new or not too worn furniture. Furniture can be really expensive, but if you split the cost with your roommates it becomes much manageable.
6. Bring in the good vibes
Do not buy gross furniture just because it is cheap, gross furniture is nasty and ultimately a waste of money no matter how cheap it may be and it ruins the vibe of the whole house.
7. Share the burden
Designate a different person every month who is going to be in charge of turning in the rent and all the various utility bills. One person can't be responsible all the time.
8. To laundromat or not to laundromat
Find out if using the apartment laundry is, in fact, the best option because sometimes neighborhood laundromats are cheaper and have better dryers that don't need to be used multiple times.
9. Know the rules
Acquaint yourself with all the apartment rules and read the fine print. There can be something as simple as "don't be too noisy" to "don't do drugs".
10. Know what is yours
Lastly, keep tabs on things that you bring into the apartment so that when you eventually move out there is no dispute about what belongs to which roommate.
Living in your own apartment is truly a huge step in the direction of adulthood. It is the first sign of independence for many, but it also comes with the burden of responsibilities. It is easy to be intimidated by the prospect of living without your parents or a support system. In times like these, it is important to remember that apartment living isn't hard, it's really just different from the comforts that you are usually used to.
