From College to Adulting
We all know that life at college can be really fun - you'll meet loads of new people, try new things and of course...go to epic parties.
But a drawback of college can be the living situation. A tiny dorm room can get cramped after a while, and you might get fed up with the lack of personal space. Whether you're sick of your dorm and want to move on, or have finished school and don't want to go home to live with Mom and Dad - chances are you've picked up some great dorming skills that can help you transition from college to a new apartment.
Here are a few differences you can expect when you make the jump from college to adulting:
Your Space
Dorm
Unless you can score a single, you'll usually end up in a room with two beds - sometimes up to four, making alone time pretty rare. Decorating your side of the room to fit your aesthetic is okay, but it's hard to ignore another person’s presence across the room.
Apartment
Finally - the freedom of your own room! You'll get your privacy and guaranteed alone time when you want it - gone are the days of being exiled or kicking your roommate out when you want your friends over. Sharing an apartment (instead of a dorm) makes roommate relationships easier too - if an argument occurs, you can just cool off in your room.
Common Area
Dorm
A typical dorm experience means sharing areas outside of your room with other people too - if people aren't watching TV, someone's passed out in a chair in between classes, or there's a school sponsored event going on. Great for your social life, but not so great for alone time...
Apartment
The advantage in an apartment is that you've most likely chosen the people you're sharing a common area with. This means walking in on strangers or a large party is fairly rare - you'll probably already be in the know. Oh, and you'll get more of a say in the TV-viewing schedule too...
Kitchen
Dorm
Sharing a kitchen at college is an experience...Some schools have pots and pans to use but that means everyone else can too - gross. The kitchen's probably not that clean, so wiping the counter before you start cooking becomes a life habit. Or you may end up avoiding the kitchen all together and become a master of microwavable recipes instead...
Apartment
One benefit of having your own kitchen is saying goodby to hit or miss cafeteria food. Now you’ll have a real place to learn how to cook, experiment with recipes...and have friends over for dinner. Adulting or what?
Bathroom
Dorm
Most people who have experienced dorm life have also experienced the infamous college communal bathroom. Sure it can get gross, but at least you don’t have to clean it.
If you’re lucky you may have a bathroom attached to your room that's only shared by one to three other people. Cleaning it yourself is a fair price to pay for this student luxury.
Apartment
Dorm life sets you up well for sharing a bathroom - but hopefully this one's a little less busy! The downside: there's probably still a line to use it. When there’s only one bathroom and multiple people under the same roof...you’ll just have to hold it and wait. Tip: try and work out everyone's shower schedule so you can get your slot every day with less issues.
Expenses
Dorm
Most are taken care of by loans at the beginning of each semester. Which means during the semester you can worry about classes and exams, not finances - that’s a treat for post graduation.
Apartment
Adulting = paying bills. So turn the lights off when you’re not using them, land that paid internship or job, and take advantage of student discounts wherever you find them - this also applies to post-grads who still have their school IDs...for nostalgia...
Freedom
Dorm
There's still freedom to be had on campus - getting around is easy when you’re nearby friends, food, and classes. But there's also RAs who fine rule breakers and make sure you follow the quiet hours during exams weeks.
Apartment
You're apartment = your rules. Just have a consensus with your roommates - are quiet hours needed for work/sleep? How do you all feel about guests and people staying over? It's important to make your expectations known from the start. And while RAs aren’t there, you should still be respectful of roommates, neighbors and others in your building.
Roommates
Dorm
You either see them every day or barely at all - they can become your best friend or your worst enemy, and they’re either in the room more than you or out of the room more than you. Sharing the same closed-in space can create an interesting dynamic...
Apartment
You either see them every day or barely at all - they can become your best friend or your worst enemy, and they’re either home more than you or out more than you...Yeah, roommates don’t change much from college. But having your own rooms means having your own spaces, which often leads to more harmonious roommate relations.
Now we've got your attention, how about we get to know each other a little better? We'll start, with something you probably don't know about us...
SpareRoom are proud partners with Breaking Ground – one of NYC's leading homeless charities, who provide permanent supportive housing and outreach services for those on the streets that need it most. Every month, we match the amount won in our Live Rent Free competition and donate the same to Breaking Ground. It's just one of the ways we can help give everyone the home they deserve.
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