10 things we wish we knew before moving

1. Decide whether you want to be on or off campus
The panel said the deciding factor for someone unsure of whether to stay on or off campus would be if they had a car.

“Know your transportation limits,” Souki said.

She said if you do not have a car, pick a place with a bus route in the immediate area. Davaadagva added that it would be better to stay on campus in this situation.

For someone without a car, he said, it would be easier to be close to campus for group work and commuting to class.

2. Ask yourself, “Do you need furnished housing?”
For someone like Qiu, who is out of state, she said she worries about transporting and storing furniture.

“Check to see if your apartment is furnished,” she said.
If there isn’t an easy way to store furniture, cut out a step by looking for furnished apartments. There are many options available both on and off campus.

3. Pick a place that offers maintenance
“If something goes wrong,” Keller said, “someone will be there.”

One convenience of living on campus is the easy-access maintenance. If something breaks, it can be fixed in a matter of one to three days, she said. Look for a location that offers free maintenance.

4. Think about what kind of roommate you want
A roommate could affect whether or not your housing is a good or bad memory. While the cost benefit is one of the first things that come to mind, Davaadagva said to think about what kind of person you want to live with first before signing a contract.

Don’t just pick a random friend, he said. Decide what kind of experience you want. Do you want someone to talk to, or do you want someone who will keep to his or her side? Can you handle someone who is loud or messy?

5. Budget your living expenses
While you wouldn’t think moving would involve immediate budget planning regarding living expenses, Keller said she thinks differently.

Before doing anything, take your allotted money for the semester, subtract tuition and rent, and give yourself a solid budget to live off of, she said. Keep in mind a specific amount to subtract from.

“Don’t wing it,” Keller said.

“I wish I had and should have learned about budgeting. My first semester of freshman year I spent $5,800 on miscellaneous things around campus ranking from food to clothes,” Guerra said.

For a more specific number, Qiu recommended at least $50 a week.

6. Beware of parking
When moving, parking may not be your friend, Souki said. Keep in mind how many personal items you are bringing.

“Parking isn’t ideal,” Keller said.

In the long term, think about where the nearest parking lot is from where you are living.
Sometimes with on-campus housing, there isn’t a lot immediately near by.

7. Prepare for the trek into campus
Living off campus does not allow you the luxury of running home and changing clothes when you get rained on or grabbing an extra jacket when the weather changes unexpectedly.

“The practicality of an umbrella is something I shouldn’t have taken for granted. I wasn’t used to the lifestyle of walking to class in the rain,” Guerra said, “and the importance of having a good coat. Although pea coats are good looking, they are not especially warm. I own this really horrendous Parka that I hate, but it’s necessary that I wear it in winter to stay warm.”

8. Be aware that laundry may not be close by
Keep in mind that with some locations, laundry may not be in your building. This was the case for Keller.

“It was not in my complex ... it’s in the next one over,” she said. “I kind of wished someone informed me of this sooner.”

As for paying for laundry, Qiu suggests using Campus Access if applicable. Remembering her days in her McNutt dorm, she said there was a discount for using Campus Access rather than coins.

9. Look at a map
Souki said there are many places to live, and some of them are relatively unknown.

“A lot of people forget about Campus View, Bicknell and stuff like that,” she said. “Go to a lot of places.”

With new buildings opening up, there are new options many students don’t know about.
Open up a campus map and see if there are any new residential centers that you don’t recognize.

10. No matter what, be open minded
Anything can change at the last minute. Keeping a stress-free moving situation involves being open to change.

Much like how Souki suggested looking at new housing options, Keller said she advises anyone unsure of where to live to look around. She said she lives in an old building, like late 1940s, and it is affordable because of its age. While being in an older building may not be preferable, it could be a good alternative.

“The oldness of it is actually nice,” she said.