Should You Live with a Roommate in University?

The fact is: some people prefer living alone whereas others prefer to live with a roommate. When you’re heading off to university, you need to decide which category you fall into. This will help you determine whether you’d be more comfortable living on campus or in off-campus student housing. It can be difficult to know if you’ve never lived with a roommate before, but thinking about your personality and habits can help you figure it out.

Will You Be Lonely?

Some people feel lonely living alone. Even when your roommate is only an acquaintance, having someone around to talk to at the end of the day can help you avoid feeling homesick.

Do You Value Your Privacy?

On the other hand, if you enjoy spending long periods of time alone, you may struggle to adapt to living with someone else, particularly in such close quarters.

Are You a Neat Freak or Very Messy?

People of either extreme tend to find it difficult to live with someone else if their habits don’t match their roommate’s lifestyle. Consider if you’d be willing to make an effort to change or be more adaptable.

Do You Know Someone You Want to Share With?

If it’s your first year of university, the likelihood is that you know no one yet, meaning that if you choose to live on campus, you’ll be assigned someone at random. There is the chance that you’ll end up being the best of friends with your roommate, but there is also the risk that you’ll find your roommate difficult to live with. For instance, this may be the case if one of you likes to stay up late to socialize whereas the other wants the room to be quiet for studying and likes to go to bed early.

If, however, you already have friends at the university, you may be able to pick someone to share with. Choose carefully, though — not all friends make great roommates, especially if you have distinct lifestyles.

It is possible to have the best of both worlds: you can have your own space and still be around other people with a suite in student housing. The Waterloo rental apartments at King Street Towers provide you with a space to share with just a few other students. Better still, if you don’t know anyone yet, you’ll be matched with people who have similar interests. Plus, you can have your own room or share a bedroom — whatever you prefer.

Finding an Apartment That’s the Right Fit

Looking for the right student apartment could be very challenging, especially when one decides to study outside their hometown and move to an unfamiliar city. Planning is essential in order to find an apartment that fits one’s lifestyle, as well as using effective means to finding student housing options. One way to do so is by turning to student focused property management companies which can provide a short list of housing rentals that would fit one’s needs and preferences.

When choosing among student housing options, there are a few things to consider to ensure that you are making the best decision:

Convenient Location

One of the most important considerations when looking for off campus residences is location. Living near the university grounds makes things much easier for college students, eliminating the need to commute back and forth to school every day. It is also ideal to choose off campus communities, such as Waterloo student housing rentals, that are located near other establishments, like grocery and retail stores, so you spend time going to these places and use your time doing more important things.

Student Friendly Area

When looking for rooms for rent in Waterloo University, students are better off choosing rentals that are within student housing areas, so you are able to collaborate on projects and hang out with your peers more easily. This also ensures that you avoid any issues with non-university neighbors, who might complain of noise from time to time. Being in a student friendly community provides the support you need, and it allows you to be yourself and feel comfortable as you go about your everyday life as a university student.

Safe Neighbourhood

Safety should also be one of your priorities. When moving to an off campus student housing, you need to make sure that you are living in a safe community. Do your own research and inspect the neighborhood before deciding to enter into a lease contract. Aside from choosing a neighborhood with low crime rates, you also want to choose a housing rental that offers security, such as 24/7 on call staff, individual locks, and CCTV cameras.

The Right Atmosphere

Not all students are alike, and so are student housing communities. While some may prefer to live in a more casual setting, where the residents are free to have their friends over, some students may want to stay somewhere quiet. Take a tour of your off campus student housing options and get a feel of the place. Check if there are separate facilities for binding with peers and for study, and choose the one where you know you would feel comfortable.

Looking for a student apartment can be an ordeal, but it’s one that you definitely need to plan for so you can find the right place for you, so take note of these helpful tips. Always remember that aside from having a place to stay after your classes, this is going to be your home away from home, so you need to make sure that the decision you make is the best one.