Tips for Living Off Campus

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Tips for Living Off Campus
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• For many college and university students,
  theres little more exciting than living off
  campus. It offers freedom, independence and an
  introduction to adulthood. But in some cases,
  little is more stressful and confusing than
  living off campus. Taking on so much
  responsibility can quickly become overwhelming.
  Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to
  help any student survive this experience. Below
  are a few of these tips and tricks.

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Figure Out the Bills

• Living in your own apartment (even if you live
  with roommates) means paying the bills. While
  paying bills is synonymous with adulthood, its
  also one of the most stressful parts of
  adulthood. And this stress is only compounded
  when you dont know how to pay the bills.
  Unbeknownst to many, the secret to low-stress
  bill paying is creating and maintaining a monthly
  budget.

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• This budget should include your rent, utilities
  (gas, electricity, cable, etc.), mobile phone
  bill, groceries, household products, and
  entertainment (if applicable). Of course, bills
  become more affordable and budgeting may become
  easier when you live with roommates. However, you
  wont have to worry about the cost of utilities
  if you move into Waterloo student housing rentals
  like those offered by King Street Towers, as
  their rentals are all-inclusive.

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Plan to Clean

• Not much cleaning or cleaning expertise is
  required when you live in a single room. Most
  college and university students go from living in
  a room at home to living in a room on campus. So,
  having to clean an entire apartment can be
  shocking. But, creating a chore list and/or
  cleaning plan can help reduce some of its shock
  value.

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• Just remember to buy plenty of cleaning
  supplies, and invest in a good broom, vacuum,
  duster and mop. Additionally, buy plenty of
  laundry supplies, including detergent, fabric
  softener, bleach, collapsible laundry baskets
  (for easy handling, transporting and space-saving
  capabilities), hangers, a garment bag and more.

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• Make sure your room and the main living area is
  cleaned and organized every day (e.g. make your
  bed, vacuum, remove clothing from floor, etc.),
  wash or place the dishes in the dishwasher after
  every meal (always put them away too) and clean
  the entire bathroom and do the laundry at least
  once a week.

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Move Close to Campus

• Although off-campus Waterloo student living can
  offer immense freedom and independence, you
  should remain as close to campus as possible.
  Proximity to campus can decrease your commute to
  class, the campus library, etc., help you stay
  connected to the school and your peers, and help
  you save money on transportation.

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• If you move to off-campus student housing like
  King Street Towers, youll have these
  conveniences and more. In fact, their properties
  are so close to the University of Waterloo that
  you could walk to class every day.