One of the major gripes students around the country face each year comes when the moving time approaches. Leaving your family home can sometimes be hard. However, in order to deal with it, you should look into the future. There are so many opportunities that will come your way as you trod a path through college, and that will fill your life. Then, you will seldom even have time to miss home! Nevertheless, we have gathered seven reasons why you should move into your own apartment in college, instead of going for the student dorm. Read this article to find out more!
Move into your own apartment in college to have more breathing space
Let’s be honest here – living in a dorm can get quite claustrophobic. You are usually damned to a small, confined space, with a number of students that you may or may not know. Depending on what dorm you are staying at (and trust us – there are many!), you can end up with a couple of people in the same room. And since sharing a living space with only one person can be a nightmare, you can imagine just how bad living with two or three more can get!
Cap: Get more breathing space with an apartment.
This is why one of the top reasons to move into your own apartment in college is to start living in more than one room. When in dorms, you are not just sharing a room. You are sharing the living space. That room is your bedroom, your living room, and your kitchen – depending on your dorm. And there is no better feeling than being able to spread that living space to two or three separate rooms. Then, all you need to do is create more space in your new apartment, and you will feel like you are in a palace!
The food – what more can we say?
Another huge reason why you should move into your own apartment in college is the food itself. While staying in a dorm, you might not even have a kitchen. Many students are forced to dine out or use the local cafeteria. This all changes once you get your own apartment. Now, you will be your own boss and your own chef. And although this has obvious disadvantages (you need to learn how to cook), creating your own menu will give you a sense of power and pleasure that you can’t really change. Now, when you are in the mood for pasta – you will get pasta!
Gain more independence
The third reason for moving into your own place when starting college is a pretty obvious one. When you are running your own apartment – you are your own boss. So, you will make your own rules, and you will own all your stuff. However, with that, there comes the responsibility of upholding both the rules you make in your apartment, as well as the rules the building itself has.
Cap: Become an independent person.
Learning how to live on your own, away from the helping hands of your parents is an amazing experience. There is no better chance to grow up than when you need to run to the early classes, rush back home to make some lunch and do the last-minute cleaning before your evening study session arrives. Not only will you learn how to deal with chores better, but you will also learn how to respect what you own – and keep it, as well. You might even be tempted to read about packing tips for college students in order to prepare your stuff for your next move!
Learn the value of money
Another one of our reasons to move into your own apartment in college is to learn how to handle money. Now, you might have already had your own job. Your parents might have let you handle your own pocket money for ages. This all can lead you into believing you know how to deal with money. However, once you are out there, living alone, all of this will change. Once the bills hit you right in the face, you will be flabbergasted by just how much you can spend.
Living on your own will help you realize how to sort out your budget. By doing this, you will also discover where your priorities lie. Maybe you will start spending less money on clothes and figure out different ways in which you can save some cash. All of these are important adulthood lessons that you will cherish after college.
Getting some privacy and freedom
One of the biggest reasons why people move into their own apartments in college is to gain privacy and freedom. We have already talked a little bit about how crowded dorms can get. If you ever had to share a room with a sibling, then imagine having to spend most of the day there together.
Once you start living on your own, however, you will get all the privacy you need. If you want to host late-night parties, you will be able to do it – as long as you respect the house rules, of course. Again, this sense of being your own person will come with important lessons. You can learn about respecting other people’s privacy. Also, you will figure out how to actually be on your own – a skill that many adults don’t possess.
Learning about responsibility
This one ties into everything we have mentioned before. Once you move into your own apartment in college, you will be responsible for your own well-being, as well as your life. You will bear the consequences of unpaid bills, or breaking the rules and getting in trouble with the landlord.
Cap: Learn about respecting rules and responsibility.
Then, you will learn how to budget properly, and maybe even need to get a part-time job. All of these are great teachers of personal responsibility and will prepare you well for life after school.
You get to pick your location
Finally, this one is not as serious as the rest. Once you decide to move into your own apartment in college, the dorm location will not dictate where you will live. You can make your choice of the best neighborhood for yourself. Fancy any nearby amenities? Then try to find a place close to them! Are you a night owl? Then maybe a corner of the city with nightclubs and bars will be the perfect spot for you. The world is your oyster, so make sure you explore it fully!
