2008 Woodie Awards
Stock up when you move off campus
Issue date: 5/1/08
You'll need a tool set, or at least a hammer and a set of screwdrivers, just to have around for hanging pictures or fixing random apartment mishaps. A trash can or two might come in handy from time to time. And no more mooching paper towels from the common room bathroom - that ship has sailed. You'll probably want to buy paper towels and toilet paper in bulk to save some cash and time.
In terms of furniture, you may find yourself with more space to fill than you've ever had before. If you have the space, a table and chairs is great for studying or having people over to cook. If you study at a desk, you'll obviously need to buy a desk and chair. Also, a couch, an armchair and a coffee table can make your apartment a much more sociable place. Buying these things secondhand from graduating students will be easier on your wallet and your possibly limited transportation options. Nobody wants to attempt to squeeze an armchair into a small car or onto the Collegetown shuttle. If you don't have the room or money for all these furnishings, everyone will probably just end up on your bed.
And on that note, if you only buy one thing for your new off-campus digs, please make it a bed. As with many things in life, the bigger, the better - and beds are no exception. There's no better reason to move off campus than the prospect of getting a larger bed. Why would anyone live off campus and have twin beds? It's a pretty wonderful feeling to be able to lounge around without fear of falling out of bed. Get a bunch of pillows and a fluffy comforter to make your bed a place where you (and hopefully other people) want to lie down.
While these things come at a cost, it's a small price to pay for the sheer joy of escaping the institutional life of the dorms. It's good to make your own decisions and figure out how you want to live as opposed to how someone else expects you to live. That is one of the most important things to learn in college, and if living off campus helps you learn it, then we should all get out of the dorms and into apartments of our own.
In terms of furniture, you may find yourself with more space to fill than you've ever had before. If you have the space, a table and chairs is great for studying or having people over to cook. If you study at a desk, you'll obviously need to buy a desk and chair. Also, a couch, an armchair and a coffee table can make your apartment a much more sociable place. Buying these things secondhand from graduating students will be easier on your wallet and your possibly limited transportation options. Nobody wants to attempt to squeeze an armchair into a small car or onto the Collegetown shuttle. If you don't have the room or money for all these furnishings, everyone will probably just end up on your bed.
And on that note, if you only buy one thing for your new off-campus digs, please make it a bed. As with many things in life, the bigger, the better - and beds are no exception. There's no better reason to move off campus than the prospect of getting a larger bed. Why would anyone live off campus and have twin beds? It's a pretty wonderful feeling to be able to lounge around without fear of falling out of bed. Get a bunch of pillows and a fluffy comforter to make your bed a place where you (and hopefully other people) want to lie down.
While these things come at a cost, it's a small price to pay for the sheer joy of escaping the institutional life of the dorms. It's good to make your own decisions and figure out how you want to live as opposed to how someone else expects you to live. That is one of the most important things to learn in college, and if living off campus helps you learn it, then we should all get out of the dorms and into apartments of our own.
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