Four tips for living in an apartment

Entry into the first year of a dormitory is a great transition for any teenager. It is the first time that he has lived alone and has full responsibility for his own decisions. For many students, the final year was definitely a transition back to March. After being home for six months and no longer living alone, I noticed an even more drastic change when I moved into an apartment with my two roommates.

It was different from living in a dorm because I was no longer dependent on a meal plan, had to clean my own room, and had to replenish things like toilet paper and hand soap. Here are my top four tips on how to live alone and how they can make you a successful independent student!

1. Never go to bed with a sink full of dishes

Due to the small size of an apartment, the kitchen can take up a lot of space. A clean kitchen and a clean sink make the apartment more open and easy to maintain. Plus, nobody wants to wake up in the morning and smell the food that is in the sink. When I wake up and go to a clean kitchen, I feel a lot more productive. When you have a clean room, you can better prepare for the day.

2. Buy in bulk

Moving across the country to Madison makes it difficult to buy an apartment without owning a car. When my roommates and I were buying some essentials for the apartment, we decided to do some shopping at Costco. We chose Costco to be able to buy our groceries and household items in bulk. That way, we don't have to go to the supermarket every week. A Costco membership costs around $ 60 so sharing it with roommates is a very worthwhile decision.

3. Learn to care about your roommates

Living with several people means sharing spaces, which also means sharing many personal items. It can be difficult to agree on what items everyone wants in the home and who is paying for what. For example, we all shared many things in our apartment equally. However, if someone wanted to keep an item after college, they would buy it and then keep it. Simple commitments like these can avoid difficult situations in the future.

4. Invest in your own coffee / espresso machine

I spent a lot of money on coffee in my freshman year. As someone who depends on caffeine several times a day (especially in the middle and at the end), buying an espresso machine has been an incredible addition to my life.

There are many types of espresso machines, with prices ranging from $ 30 to $ 300. I bought a Mr. Coffee espresso machine from Walmart for $ 40. Each coffee maker comes with instructions on how to make your perfect drink! Investing in one of these machines can save you a lot of money and gain energy on ALL of your online courses!

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