Making the move to apartment life
By Sarah Mier
Feb. 11, 2010 9:00 p.m.
Groups of students have recently been spotted, pens in hand, perusing Westwood Village, eagerly searching for next year’s housing. Now is the time when students must either commit to another year of on-campus housing, plan on living in a sorority or fraternity house, or make that big move off the Hill to the apartments. All the options surrounding housing can make this decision, which significantly affects your mental health, a bit daunting. The three big questions ““ location, roommates and bang for the buck ““ are swirling in the minds of most.
Do I choose to live with my best friend? Should I live another year in Dykstra for the community? Do I prefer a double in a hall or a triple in a suite? These are just a few of the quandaries facing on-campus students. The decisions facing students in the apartments contain even more variables. Before you head to Counseling and Psychological Services, take a step back, relax and realistically weigh your options.
Living on campus ““ not so affordable, but extremely convenient. If your friends are still living on campus, you will enjoy another year in the dorms. Your perks will include forced creativity in the dining halls and probably a nicer set-up, in terms of building and room, than you have this year.
Moving off campus is a much bigger task. Assuming you are planning on staying in the Westwood area, some particular decisions need to be made. You will spend a lot more time in your apartment than you do in the dorms, which results in more time spent with your roommates and greater need to love the space you’re in. Therefore it can be difficult to choose apartment-mates, as well as which aspects of an apartment you value most. To simplify the process I’ll categorize three different types of apartments and roommates.
The first is the large, characterless complex. These buildings usually pre-lease in January or February and have a number of similar standard floor plans. Perks include parking and access to maintenance through a fairly accessible landlord, but the downsides can include a high price and slightly cramped quarters.
The second option is the cheaper, but harder-to-find one-off apartment; these are usually larger, sometimes come with parking, and can have a generous amount of character. These buildings are much more difficult to find and can be slightly spotty in terms of repair, but provide the more eclectic college living experience. These are definitely worth the wait.
The third option is living south of Wilshire, off Hilgard, or elsewhere in the surrounding L.A. area. Though apartments in these areas are less expensive and easier to find, they are highly inconvenient for visiting friends. College is the time when it is acceptable to drop by a friend’s around 2 a.m. Now is the time to take advantage of this and live in the Westwood Village apartment area. You might be sacrificing proximity to quality ethnic eats, like your beloved sushi restaurant off Sawtelle, but that opportunity exists post-college, while living next door to your best friend might not.
The process of finding the right apartment once you’ve narrowed your search can be hard. One way to secure a more optimal living space is to capitalize on connections to upperclassmen. If you don’t have these preferable connections, try knocking on doors ““ for the most part residents, especially students, will be friendly. Securing an apartment is the first step, but next is who to live with.
Moving to an apartment is a huge step of independence and an important growing experience, so not only is the place you pick important, the people are too. Keep in mind that no situation is ideal. This mentality will help resolve small conflicts that arise, like dirty dishes piling up in the sink.
There are certain situations that should be avoided above all else ““ the roommate with the siamese-significant other, your best (but fairly aggravating) friend and the disrespectful slob. Conflict resolution is an important skill to learn while living with roommates, but for these three situations there may not be a solution ““ other than to avoid living with them now.
Living with roommates in college can be really difficult. You are all from different backgrounds and have unique expectations for what your apartment life should look like. Instead of letting anxiety build as you search for the ideal situation, create a list of things you definitely cannot live with and go from there. It is truly about compromise. The best you can do in Westwood is probably a cheaper, funky apartment with people you enjoy (but don’t have parasitic significant others, an affinity for dirt, or highly annoying habits) and can coexist with. Friendship and parking might be your top priority, but it’s important to expand your horizon to different spaces and people who share similar living habits.
E-mail Mier at [email protected]. Send general comments to
