Moving off campus and into your first apartment is a big step in the lives of any college student. It is seen as a transition into adulthood and if managed right, can be one of the best times of your life, or vice versa.

The Legal Side

One thing to consider when deciding whether or not to move off campus, are the responsibilities that come with it.

“Before any student moves off campus, I recommend they speak with Legal Services,” said Don Bramlett, graduation specialist for the Center of Black Studies. “The information they provide will go a long way in helping you have a smooth transition to living off campus.”

According to their website, Student’s Legal Assistance, “…Provides students with information intended to familiarize [them] with certain issues which relate to a legal question or problems [they] may have, and to provide a general background to the legal system.”

Students can visit Student Legal with questions at any time.

“They do a lot for you, like look over your lease before you move in to check for any misleading content which is a common issue,” said senior accounting major Robert Payne.

The Food

The small things underclassmen might take for granted, such as food, become a daily hassle.

“There is a lot that comes with living off campus,” said Rapheal Jones, a junior sociology major, who is living off campus for the first time. “One of the hardest things to adjust to for me is getting my own food,” Jones said. “I was so reliant on my meal plan last year and it’s frustrating when you have to waste your money on fast food.”

The lost art of cooking is vital for your off-campus survival, said Glenn Marshall, a senior communications major who has lived off campus for three years.

“Keeping decent food in the apartment and learning how to cook are very important,” Marshall said. “If you don’t know how to cook you basically won’t eat.”

The Transportation

For many students living off campus, walking to class is no longer an option.

“You have to be on time to catch the buses in the morning,” said Carise Williams, senior textile and merchandise major. “The buses are always overcrowded, but with me living in Northern View, if I miss the bus I have a very long walk to class.”

The Huskie Bus Line, which runs from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., is critical in getting back and forth to campus, said Isaiah Hunley, a driver for the bus line.

“The number five is the bus that rides through a majority of the apartments,” Hunley said. “At the peak times such as 9:30, the number five is jam-packed so it is important to be on time and learn the system.”

And what did he have to say about the students who choose to procrastinate on learning the bus system?

“I suggest they get accustomed to it now,” Hunley said. “Because once winter comes you won’t even able to get on around the last stops of the route.”

The Bills

There may be some students who view paying bills as overwhelming. Matt Pearson, junior communications major and a member of Phi Kappa Theta, is one of those people.

“I live in the house [fraternity house] and it is a lot easier because everything is divided amongst so many guys,” Pearson said.

Finding good roommates who are committed, involved, and hardworking is key to managing your bills and expenses said Jaemin Robertson, a senior political science major.

“In the case with my roommate, with us both being student leaders on campus, it helps because we know what it takes to see things succeed,” Robertson said.

Robertson serves as the vice-president of the Student Association.

It is just a matter of accepting your responsibilities as an adult and getting it done, he said.

“We both know that we have to get things done,” Robertson said. “Whether that means rent, utilities, groceries, whatever and we just do it. No excuses.