Tips for Living in Off-Campus Housing for the First Time

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Tips for Living in Off-Campus Housing for the
First Time
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• Starting at college is a big deal, but moving
  out of Fanshawe College accommodation and into
  off-campus housing is another major change.
  Youll have many more responsibilities, including
  bills to pay, maintenance to do to keep the place
  in good condition, and meals to prepare. However,
  with some planning in advance, you can make the
  transition much easier.

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1. Pick the Right Roommates

• Choosing who you want to live with is critical.
  Your immediate response may be to look for a
  place with your closest friends, but you need to
  think if this is the best decision. To be
  comfortable, you should live with people who have
  similar studying and socializing habits to you.
  Furthermore, if a tidy home is important to you,
  living with someone who is less organized (or
  messy) is sure to cause conflict.

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• Finally, you need to think about your budget.
  Its better not to stretch your budget thin just
  to afford the apartment your friends want. At the
  same time, going too much under budget may mean
  living in subpar housing.

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2. Document Everything

• The day you move in, walk around the apartment
  and document its contents. Also make note of any
  damage and take photos. When your lease is up,
  youll have proof that nothing went missing and
  that any damage was already there before you
  moved in. This will mean that your landlord is
  unable to charge you anything extra.

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3. Come to an Agreement with Your Roommates

• Set out clear rules with your roommates from the
  beginning. For instance, decide what are each
  persons responsibilities and draw up a cleaning
  rotation. This will avoid disagreements later and
  make living together easier.

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4. Develop a Relationship with Your Landlord

• Prevent problems with your landlord in the
  future by developing a good relationship from the
  start. This means sticking to the rules, keeping
  the noise down, and just behaving respectfully in
  general.

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• If you feel unprepared for everything that comes
  with renting your own place, but you still want
  the freedom of living off campus, there is an
  alternative to
• apartments to rent near Fanshawe College,
  London off-campus student housing. For example,
  Foundry First has a roommate