Site icon

Off To College? Tips For Choosing Your Accommodation

student-accommodation

If you’re going to a university and you haven’t decided where to stay just yet, you may find that it’s a little difficult to find the student accommodation that you need. There are countless types of student accommodations across the world today, and narrowing down your options can be very challenging.

Starting a new life in college is already challenging, and choosing your accommodation can add more pressure. This is an important decision to make as the accommodation you’ll pick can impact your comfort and ability to succeed as a college student. It would be challenging for you to study lessons and excel in classes if your accommodation is too humid, cramped, or noisy.

To ensure that you’ll only stay in the best possible accommodation throughout your college life, take note of the following tips when choosing an accommodation:

Prioritise Location

Contrary to popular belief, the first thing you should consider when choosing your accommodation isn’t the price; it’s the location. It’s important that the location is accessible to the university and other facilities that you might need as a college student.

Choosing to stay in a cheap accommodation will be useless if you have to pay a lot of money to travel to and from your university every single day.

Ideally, you should choose an accommodation near your university to make it very easy for you to commute and save money. If you’re going to study around Idaho, consider looking at NorthPoint as this offers accommodations that are near colleges and universities. The nearer the accommodation is to your university, the better.

Aside from the convenience and money you can save, choosing an accommodation that’s near your university can also encourage you to study in between your classes. If you have an hour of vacant period, you can easily go to your accommodation to study and, then, return to your classes without worrying about being late.

Don’t Forget About The Cost

Living in an accommodation in college will cost money, and, in this case, your parent’s money. You’ll be spending most of your time in college studying, which means that you won’t have the time to work full-time.

Even if your parents or guardians will be the ones who will pay for your accommodation, you should still pay attention to the cost of the dorm or apartment you’re planning to stay in. In fact, the cost of the accommodation should be one of the first things you need to think about when choosing where to stay in college.

For you to find an accommodation that won’t cause an arm and a leg, set a budget first before looking into different accommodations. Regardless of how tempting it is to stay in an accommodation that’s beyond your set budget, make sure that you don’t do it.

Keep in mind that aside from the rent, you’ll also have to pay many other things when in college; choosing an expensive accommodation will only cause stress to you and your parents.

Check The Internet Connection

The existence of the World Wide Web has significantly made every student’s life easy. The Internet has allowed students to access unlimited information, enjoy virtual trips, and bridge communication gaps. The Internet has also made it very easy for students to work on and submit their assignments.

The Internet is vital to your success as a college student, which is why you should make sure that the accommodation you choose has a stable connection. Ideally, you should pick an accommodation that offers fast and reliable Internet connection regardless of the number of students connected to the service.

You can determine the quality of the Internet connection offered in a student accommodation by asking the landlord or checking their website for details. You can also visit the accommodation and try out their connection yourself.

If you know people who are staying in the accommodation you’re considering, make sure to inquire about the reliability of the Internet connection in the building.

Assess The Safety And Security

You’ll be spending most of your time in the accommodation you’ll choose. This is where you’ll sleep through the night, study all your lessons, and, basically, live your life for the next four or more years.

It’ll be challenging for you to do all of these things if your accommodation doesn’t offer enough safety and security. Do you think you can sleep well through the night if you know that thieves can easily get in your accommodation? How can you concentrate if your accommodation feels unsafe?

Safety and security are other pertinent factors to consider when choosing an accommodation. Regardless if you’re going to live alone or with a roommate, the accommodation you choose should have 24/7 security guards and CCTV cameras. The doors to your accommodation should also come with several locks.

As a college student, you should never skimp on your safety and security as this can affect your day-to-day activities. If your budget allows it, opt to stay in an accommodation that has the most advanced security systems so you’ll have peace of mind leaving your valuables in your room even when you’re attending classes.

Assess The Friendliness Of The Staff

Living in your accommodation when you start your journey as a college student can be very stressful. Your accommodation is a brand new environment that will require adjustments from you.

When you live in your accommodation, you’ll have to change certain steps in your routine to ensure that you can remain comfortable in college.

If you want to easily adjust to your new accommodation, look for ones that have friendly staff. Having access to friendly staff will make it easier for you to adjust to your new environment as you’ll have a group of people who can show you around and provide answers to your common questions.

Some accommodations even have staff members that arrange events and icebreakers for their tenants. When you choose to stay in these types of accommodations, you won’t have any problems meeting and socialising with other college students.

Check If It Encourages Work-Life Balance

Studying will be your main priority as a college student. During this time of your life, you’re expected to regularly study lessons so you can impress professors and eventually graduate with flying colours.

Studying is important for college students, but your life in the next four to five years shouldn’t only revolve around studying. Keep in mind that you’re only a human being, and pushing yourself to the limits can lead to exhaustion and burnout, and discourage you from studying for the long haul.

When choosing an accommodation, make sure that it offers facilities that allow you to have work-life balance. Ideally, the accommodation you pick should have communal facilities that encourage students like you to relax and have fun either alone or with other students.

Today, you can choose to stay in an accommodation that has a cinema room, gym, and even a swimming pool. Relaxing once in a while will not hinder your ability to learn.

On the contrary, college students like you should always find time to relax as this can increase your energy levels, ward off stress, and improve your memory. Relaxation can also help in clearing your mind so you can come up with better and sounder decisions.

Consider Having A Roommate

Starting your life as a college student can be challenging, but you can choose not to take it alone by living with a roommate. If you’re used to sharing your space with someone else back at home, then, you should definitely consider having a roommate in college. Aside from having a companion 24/7, living with a roommate can also provide the following benefits:

On the other side of the coin, sharing a dorm or apartment with another college student also brings the following disadvantages:

A roommate who has a different schedule from yours might hinder you from successfully performing your day-to-day activities. For example, it’ll be challenging for you to sleep at night if your roommate is fond of staying up late to study.

Having a roommate has both pros and cons. If you’re warmed up to the idea, make sure to weigh both sides of the coin before coming up with a decision. Look at the bigger picture and carefully assess if sharing your accommodation with someone can benefit your journey as a college student.

Knowledge Is Power

Choosing a student accommodation is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Where you’re going to stay throughout your life in college can affect your grades and, eventually, your chances of landing a stable job or building a career in the future.

If you’re about to start college and still don’t have any idea where you’re going to stay, treat this article as your guide in choosing. The information presented here will make your search easier so you’ll end up with an accommodation that best suits your needs and budget.

Exit mobile version