The difficult decisions are over. The apartment is picked, a roommate is lined up and the lease is finally signed. However, for first-time renters, there are still other factors to consider in apartment living.

Hannah Mintz, junior electrical engineering major, likes how renting an apartment is “still structured but less so” than living at a residence hall.

Apartments have more space than a dorm room; however, that doesn’t mean all of the available room needs to be filled. Mintz admitted she doesn’t need all of the clothes in her closet.

Organization is key to making a space work. Inexpensive plastic storage containers make any room less cluttered and more organized.

Mintz said budgeting is another factor first-time renters should consider. While apartments are substantially less expensive than living on campus, they demand students to be more financially aware in order to pay bills.

A helpful way to handle payments with roommates is through the Venmo. This free app makes transferring money easy, regardless of where you bank.

Off-campus living means you aren’t automatically enrolled in the Huskie unlimited access meal plan. If cooking isn’t your forte, NIU offers off-campus meal plans. Students can sign up for flex dollars or plans with a set amount of meals to be used at any residence dining hall.

The Huskie Food Pantry is another frugal option, open every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Chick Evans Field House. Students without a meal plan can bring their OneCard and reusable bags to this free service.

Another cost-effective dining suggestion is to go green and invest in a water filtration pitcher instead of using plastic water bottles.

Hannah Majerczak, senior early childhood education major, said the best part of living in an apartment is her dog. Majerczak was able to fill out paperwork showing that her pet is for emotional support.

Simply because of the way apartments are created, it’s easy to become overly familiar with the people around you.

“[The] walls are too thin,” Majerczak said.

Noise travels and isn’t confined within your apartment walls, so be courteous.

Making the decision to rent an apartment is one of the crucial steps to independent adult living. There’s a learning curve that comes with any new situation, so make the most of it.