I had signed the paperwork to move into my new apartment with my best friend Ali. We planned on sharing a room while the second room was occupied by a single person, Stephanie (you’ll hear more about her in other stories) So we were all set! The deposit was paid and the furniture was bought, the moving van was backed, our move in date on countdown.
And then we toured the building.
Yea, we did that so backwards.
But we didn’t have time to look for other apartments in our price range. The number of cheap campus apartments was dwindling very quickly. The pressure was on and heavy, so we signed the papers and reserved our spot and then went on tour. It was on that tour that I learned why it was important to look before you leap.
The building was constructed in the early 1970’s. The paint was peeling off every wall of the outside of the complex. The stairs were broken. The windows didn’t seal tightly. The walls were paper thin. The bathroom was maybe 6 square feet with a standing room only shower and toilet. It wasn’t ‘un-livable’ it was just, sad looking and old. But we signed the papers and there was nothing we could do. So we made the best of it by adding little bits and pieces to make the place more home-like. A rug in the living room, curtains in the windows, art on the walls.
Being in that dumpy little apartment made me value what I had back home. My creature comforts that I took advantage of like a couch instead of a futon or a bathtub or a full sized refrigerator, I appreciated much more when I went home for holidays. But we made the best of what we had for three year. We had somewhere to sleep. I wasn’t couch hopping. I didn’t have to commute to work. I had it made.
So lesson of the day, appreciate your home comforts and make the best of what you have. College is temporary and so are the flaws of it.
College and Life After 