Finding Your Dream Off-Campus Housing In New York

By Bretton Love

The process of preparing for student life in America involves not only passing exams, and choosing a college or university but also finding a place to live for the next few years.

Don’t underestimate the role of your place of residence, as the atmosphere in your home and the relationships with your neighbors will affect your well-being, self-esteem, academic performance, and productivity. In recent years, off campus housing in NYC has become an increasingly popular alternative option for students to live in. This option is especially attractive to introverts and those for whom academic performance is more important than parties and fun.

Reasons to live off-campus in New York

“University dormitory is a place to meet interesting people, a place to have fun, and a place to find opportunities for self-development.” This idea of living in a student dormitory is appealing to most young people who want to make the most of their college years. But this idealized attitude towards dormitories in America can lead to a lot of disappointment after a few months or even weeks of living in one. If you are planning your student years and want to avoid this disappointment, there is a profitable alternative for you – off-campus living. This accommodation option will especially appeal to those who prioritize privacy:

The ability to share a room or apartment with your friends

Unlike dormitories, off-campus accommodation gives students the freedom of choice. You are not forced to share a room or apartment with people you have never met before in your life. On the contrary, you can make arrangements with your friends and rent an apartment together to feel safe and comfortable.

No bad influence of people around you

Living in a student dormitory can lead to bad habits due to the negative influence of people around you: smoking, regular parties, drinking alcohol or even drugs are common problems among students. If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle and focus on your studies and self-development, then living off-campus will help you develop these skills in your life.

No permanent rules and restrictions

Dormitories have their own atmosphere, an element of which is strict discipline and mandatory rules for students: curfew, prohibition to invite friends to your room, prohibition to listen to music in the room, and others. Unlike dormitories, the off-campus living system prioritizes personal space and opportunities for each student rather than restrictions. You can come back to your apartment after 11 pm, you can talk to your friends or listen to your favorite music without any interference. The only rule is not to disturb your neighbors and not to interfere with their personal space.

For many people, these priorities are basic and integral to a normal life. If you feel that interfering with your privacy and freedom can negatively affect your well-being, then off-campus living is the right choice for you.

What do you need to pay attention to when looking for off-campus housing in New York?

There are several important factors to consider when looking for off-campus housing in New York that will help you avoid unnecessary stress. Students who have experience in finding housing in America before starting university consider the following points to be particularly important in this process:

Don’t put off starting your apartment search until the last weeks or days before you move to New York. More than 1 million students study in this city, so the competition and struggle for budget accommodation options is constantly high, and a few weeks before the start of the academic year, finding comfortable student apartments becomes a “mission impossible”. Therefore, calculate your time correctly and start looking for an apartment as soon as you choose a university or college to study at;

Determine the budget that you will be ready to invest in renting an apartment. Better living conditions require a higher financial outlay, so off-campus accommodation mostly costs more than dormitory accommodation. The cost of renting an apartment is also influenced by its location, number of rooms, safety or danger of the neighborhood, etc. The best option for you is to find the “golden mean” between your financial capabilities and the characteristics of the apartment;

Arrange with your friends or acquaintances to rent an apartment together. There are two important advantages to sharing an apartment with friends: one, you won’t feel lonely and you will get support and help during difficult periods in your studies; and two, you can save money by paying less for your apartment. If you decide in advance who you want to live with off-campus, the process of finding an apartment will be much more productive and fun, and your student life will be more comfortable;

Make sure the apartment is pet-friendly if you have a cat or dog. One of the most frustrating moments in the off-campus housing search process can be the final stage of moving into an apartment, where you may not be allowed to stay with your pet. To avoid these troubles, find out at the beginning of communication with the company that offers you the option of an apartment about the possibility of living with animals;

Start working with a company that can help you find an apartment with additional services. Many companies in New York, such as Outpost Club, offer their clients apartments with regular cleaning, high security, and utility bills that the company will pay instead of you. This way, you will have more time to study and relax and less to worry about.

With these tips, you will be able to make your off-campus housing search in New York City much easier and find the apartment of your dreams. Advance preparation, dedication, responsibility, and working with an experienced company is a combination of factors that will definitely help you avoid unnecessary stress before starting your student life. And after you move into your apartment and start studying at a college or university, the most exciting period of your youth will begin.

This content is part of the HWM Partnership.

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