Living alone?

[bunnyslippers]

I still haven't gotten decisions from all of the schools that I interviewed at, so I don't know where I'm going for sure yet, but I was wondering....

A lot of you are talking about buying houses and finding roommates, but is anyone else planning on living alone at least for the first year?

I've never done it, but I've had more than enough terrible roommates with their share of awful/dirty/annoying/inconsiderate habits to steer me towards getting an apartment by myself.

What do you guys think are the pros and cons of living alone or with roommates? Should I reconsider taking a chance on strangers?

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[meadow36]

I NEVER do roommates. In my opinion the savings is not worth the aggrevation. I MIGHT consider it if it was someone I knew well and the living situation was set up so we could stay out of each other's way. Otherwise, I've lived on my own for the last 11 years (minus the times spent w/ various BF's).

If I go to Ross, I will live alone. If I get in to UF (God, please happen) then my BF will be coming w/ me.

 

[carolinaowl]

I will definitely be living alone! To sum up, I am too set in my ways to live with someone I don't love. It is hard enough living with people you DO love, like significant others, parents, children, and dear friends. I like my environment just so, and do not generally deal well with it being messed up. I need much more quiet time and alone time than your average person. One example: I can't stand having music on in the background. Lots of people seem to love listening to music while they eat breakfast, get dressed, cook dinner, whatever. I hate it. It is a point of tension when I travel with my college friends. We get back to the hotel room and they first thing they do is plug in the iPod. I have learned to deal with that because I am outvoted 4 to 1, but I don't want to constantly be voting and compromising in my home life. Especially not when I'm adjusting to vet school.

I formed some great friendships with my roommates from college. I know them in ways that you really can only know if you have lived together. I'm glad I had roommates for 3 years. But I also loved living alone after that. I love it even more as I get older. There is no doubt in my mind that living alone is worth the extra hundred bucks or so a month I'll have to pay to have my own place.

 

[sumstorm]

To me, there is a difference between room mates and house mates; namely whether your sharing a room or sharing a house with seperate quarters. I have had roommates and housemates. I will never have another roommate, other than my husband. The housemates we have had so far have are people we have known for a long time and really needed help getting back on thier feet (late hubby's brother and sister, ex-bf starting his career and needing an internship in the area, other distant relatives) so I am not sure how it will work with vet school.

I am ok with living alone, doesn't bother me at all...but I actually like having a busy and active household. I am not bothered by terribly much as long as agreements are made on levels of tidyness for common areas, and no actual damage happens to the house.

For us, there are multiple parts to our decision. We have a house in Charlotte that is designed as a B&B. It was at the top of our buying ability 2 years ago, and it would not be viable to sale in the current market, plus my husband needs to remain here for his work. So for us, this will be a second owned home. I would like to be in a nice, safe neighborhood with good resale value (which is the biggest issue...we need to be able to sell and at least cover costs 4 years from now.) That means reducing costs as much as possible, as we may still be heading downhill market wise, it may take time to recover, and there may be pockets of places that continue to decline during recovery, and plateaus are possible. So, if I can have a roommate, I am estimating a reduction in total cost of >$30,000 including sharing costs of other things like utilities/internet that are basic costs.

I know for some of you, $30k is insignificant, but my parents make less than that a year....and for us, I believe we may have to pay for everything out of pocket (until I hear otherwise from financial aid.)

 

[sumstorm]

I formed some great friendships with my roommates from college. I know them in ways that you really can only know if you have lived together. I'm glad I had roommates for 3 years. But I also loved living alone after that. I love it even more as I get older. There is no doubt in my mind that living alone is worth the extra hundred bucks or so a month I'll have to pay to have my own place.

Out of curiosity, if your buying, you would only charge a house mate ~$100? I can't imagine putting rent that low. I guess I don't understand the equation?

 

[incendium04]

Out of curiosity, if your buying, you would only charge a house mate ~$100? I can't imagine putting rent that low. I guess I don't understand the equation?

They might have meant the difference in renting a one bedroom/studio compared to renting a room in a house with other people. Where I live in CA, the difference is a $100-300.

As some of you know, I am interested in buying a house and having roommates to decrease living expenses during vet school (OMG I am going to vet school! Sorry, still have those shocked moments! 😀). However, I am a relatively private person and like my peace and quiet. I've lived with a roommate, housemates, in a studio solo and with my boyfriend. I've enjoyed the last two the most.

I am in a similar boat to bunnyslippers, I haven't heard from all the schools I applied to and I definitely haven't decided where I'm going. I also can't decide how I want to live... but for the sake of expenses, I am willing to try the housemate thing again.

Here are the pros & cons with living with roommate/housemates for me:
Pros - decrease cost, companionship
Cons - decrease in privacy, dealing with other people's lives/drama, for homeowners the hassle of choosing renters, have to talk to housemates before SO can visit from out-of-state
... I'm sure there are a lot more on each side but I am procrastinating studying for my Microbio final 😉

 

[sumstorm]

They might have meant the difference in renting a one bedroom/studio compared to renting a room in a house with other people. Where I live in CA, the difference is a $100-300.

Oh, yeah, BIG difference between renting/owning. I am definitly thinking OWNING. I can afford a nicer house in a nicer neighborhood closer to school if I have a housemate...which also means the housemate gets a nicer living circumstances...and I believe the rent will still be less than apartment rent for both of us (even sharing rent at an apartment.)

Thought I would add to the list

Pros:
decrease cost
companionship
potentially increased security
potentially mutualy beneficial relationships
division of responsibilities (possibly)
better location
better living conditions


Cons:
decrease in privacy
dealing with other people's lives/drama
for homeowners the hassle of choosing renters
have to talk to housemates before SO can visit from out-of-state
other peoples pets (potentially)
damage to home
house/room mate guests

 

[ZooNose]

I went into this process totally dead set on living alone (note: I am single). I felt as if after all these years of roommates and housemates, that I deserved it. All the grief of dirty dishes, loud TVs, bathroom sharing ... I needed some darn privacy! I figured money was no object for my sanity.

But then I did some serious apartment searching. WOW, the savings of having a roommate in some of these vet school towns/cities is HUGE. In Philly, the yearly savings would have been around 5 or 6k minimum (those 1BRs are pricey!). In Fort Collins, where 1BR rentals are admittedly much cheaper than Philly, I would still have saved ~5k living with a roommate (shared housing is extraordinarily inexpensive). The monthly savings on rent and utilities adds up so greatly in the end, I decided that living alone was simply not worth it financially.

Also, I realized how much money I would save by selling the small amount of furniture I have now and moving into a house that was already partially furnished. If I am paying much lower rent and only a portion of utilities, and only have to furnish my bedroom, I will be saving some big buckeroos and taking out far less in loans. Much less. Vet school roommates - bring it on! 😉

Sorry for the train of thought. I keep having to convince myself outloud that another 4 years of housemates is in my best interest ... haha ...

 

[DVMorBust]

A BIG part of it for me depends on who the roommates are. I'd be much more willing to room with a couple vet students or med students or other professional/grad students than with undergrads or professionals. While it could be high stress around exam times, I'm just more comfortable with people who understand the amount of work outside of school.

I would love to live on my own, though. I've never done it - always had roommates or lived with the husband. A big part of it will also depend on whether we decide to stay in separate cities, or whether he's going to be actively seeking a job and needs a setup ready if he finds one (in which case I'd get a place alone that allows dogs, or with a roommate who would be fine with the sudden presence of another person and two dogs. ha.)

 

[stick91]

I'm 90% sure that I'll be heading to my in-state this year (Oregon State) and the cost of living in Corvallis is pretty cheap compared to a lot of other places. My plan is to try and find somewhere by myself for at least the first year, then if I become good friends with people and could see them as potential housemates I would go that route the second year. I do like having people around to talk to, hang out with, cook with, etc, but I am also a fairly quiet person and it takes me a while to reaaaaaaally trust someone to the point where I would want to live with them. I can forgive/deal with some differences in schedules, messiness, that kind of thing if I know the person and feel comfortable talking to them about when it gets too much. With people I don't know I tend to internalize things and that's not good for anyone!

However, if I were headed OOS to a place with a higher cost of living, I would definitely consider the housemate route right from the beginning.

 

[EqSci]

I just wanted to add that for those of you considering living alone... it is MUCH different to live alone in a place where you don't know anyone and the surroundings are brand-new vs. living alone in a familiar place where you have friends and family.

I am one of those people that NEEDS quiet time, I need to be alone a lot of the time, and I like having things the way I want them (kitchen/bathroom/etc). I lived alone my sophomore year of undergrad, and I was absolutely miserable. The friends that I had made freshman year had mostly dropped out or moved away, I was 15 minutes from campus, and while my apartment was attached to a house and on a horse farm with tons of people coming and going, I was extremely lonely and very depressed. I barely made it through that year.

My junior year I lived in a house with 6 lively housemates, met tons of people and had lots of fun. Yes, I had to make a lot of compromises with cleanliness and such, but I survived! 😉 This year I am again living alone in an apartment about 15 minutes from campus, and it's perfect. I have my alone time, everything is the way I want it, but I have friends that I can go hang out with whenever I need to and I'm familiar/comfortable with my surroundings. I think this is the difference.

If you are moving to another area or state for vet school, I would not suggest living alone, at least until you make friends and become familiar with the new area. Maybe you guys are different, but I'm not an outgoing person and I have trouble becoming close to new people. It's so much easier when you are part of a group, or you're a housemate with someone who is friends with people already. The opportunities to get closer to people are always there and are easy to take, vs. when you live alone you have to initiate them yourself and really be outgoing.

Just my experiences and I hope it helps! I will be getting a roommate at vet school for sure, at least until I feel at home and have made some awesome friends.

 

[ckd816]

I agree with a lot of what EqSci is saying. I also lived by myself during sophomore year of undergrad... I loved it at times, and I really stuggled with it at times. I could have the place look however I want, do whatever I want whenever I want, and best of all was that I could concentrate when I needed to. I was very close to my school, which is very close to where I grew up and my family was just a short distance away. The real downside to living alone was of course the cost! I had saved a lot beforehand and I paid for my time there by myself, but my savings account (which wasn't too much) was basically depleted by the end of my lease. Also, during my time living alone I went through some rocky times in a relationship and I was depressed, so it was really convenient to have my family close so I could just spend a few days with them if I needed. I think one of the hugest problems I had with living alone was that I took no pets with me, so there was literally nothing to keep me company. I took some steps to fix this by getting a Betta fish and getting flowers to care for. By the way, my fish died a few weeks ago and I think I must be the only person over 10 who cried when their fish died! 😳 Anyhow, even little things like that can cheer you up. I just think it's really important to be able to know how to pick yourself up instead of letting the darkness take you down. I also think living alone would be a lot harder without your support system nearby.

This is the part where I must say that any hard times I went through while living alone were nothing compared to living with roommates. I absolutely hated living with roommates, especially this most recent experience. The landlord of the place where I lived by myself ended up foreclosing (I was obviously renting at the time), so the bank said I had to go so they could sell the property. I ended up jumping into a rental with my mom's best friend's daughter... it was just awful. Let's just say that they really don't take school seriously and just wanted parties all the time and I am very goal-oriented and don't really love listening to their huge parties where beer is spilled all over the floor and I'm somehow the one who gets to clean it up. They basically treated me like their live-in maid, and they had absolutely no respect for my property/furniture, which was all we had. 😡 I could go on and on, but... End rant! I also lived in the dorms my freshman year and didn't love it due to the lack of privacy. Anyway, I'm back living with my parents now to save some money... It's a pretty sweet deal. 😛 This also does not come without a lack of challenges however!

Although I would have my reservations, I would be willing to try living with a grad or med student since they would most likely understand how much work goes into vet school. I don't think I could ever live with someone in undergrad or someone who worked a regular 9-5 while I was in vet school. I also would have issues living with a SO at least for the first year. My bf moved in with me while I was living in the horrible situation as described above... It was only for a month until he could find another place, but it was so distracting to have him there! Not to mention we were both squeezed into my tiny room, which was stressful at times.

I think whatever the situation is there will be struggles, whether it be financial, personal or roommate related. It's just a part of life. You will just have to decide which of these issues you'd rather deal with... For me, I just think the costs of living alone are worth it compared to the stress of living with someone else.

Sorry this is so long! I hope it helps at all! 😀

 

[OnceBitten]

I also plan on living alone... at least at first. That's part of the reason why I'm looking for a two bedroom place to rent right now. The second bedroom will be an office at first so I can have a place away from my bed and other distractions in the house/condo/apartment/etc. to study. However, if I get lonely or decide that the extra money spent on living alone isn't worth it, I could (with the landlord's permission) take on a subleaser and find a new place to study. I'm very much looking forward to living alone, though. As stated several times above, I need miles of personal space and have not done very well in the past living with roommates/housemates even temporarily. I also have to study by myself, since I study by re-writing all of my notes, so the group dynamic fails on me in several ways. If I did take on a subleaser, it would probably be a vet student who is not in my class just to bypass all of the "Do you want to study together?" questions LOL. Still, I'm playing it by ear for now. I'll be working during my first year so that I can gain residency and I'm hoping to join at least one club, so perhaps I'll be fine with those social interactions and won't feel isolated or lonely. I'll also be bringing at least one of my cats with me, as soon as I get money for the pet deposit, so that will probably make a difference, as well. We'll see.

 

[cowgirl in MO]

I NEVER do roommates. In my opinion the savings is not worth the aggrevation. I MIGHT consider it if it was someone I knew well and the living situation was set up so we could stay out of each other's way. Otherwise, I've lived on my own for the last 11 years (minus the times spent w/ various BF's).

If I go to Ross, I will live alone. If I get in to UF (God, please happen) then my BF will be coming w/ me.

AMEN, I'm 100% in agreement. The savings is not worth the aggervation. I also have lived only with BFs, never with roommates, and I hope to never have a roomie unless it's a friend I've known awhile.

 

[sumstorm]

I am curious, for those who say the savings aren't worth the aggravation, is there any price point at which you would consider it worthwhile to have housemates?

 

[VAgirl]

I just wanted to add that for those of you considering living alone... it is MUCH different to live alone in a place where you don't know anyone and the surroundings are brand-new vs. living alone in a familiar place where you have friends and family.

This is true, and if you're a serious introvert type it could be hard.

However, on the flip side, I think vet school is somewhat different. With all the schools doing pre-orientation programs these days, the fact that you'll be at school with the same group of people for something like 8 hours a day, etc., there always seems to be lots of social stuff going on. So if you were lonely, it seems like vet school is actually a good environment for finding others to do stuff with, even if it's just going somewhere and studying.

But I don't actually live alone, these are just my observations.

 

[flyhi]

I am curious, for those who say the savings aren't worth the aggravation, is there any price point at which you would consider it worthwhile to have housemates?

For me, a non-trad who has been living alone for 6 years after being married with housemates, it is more about whether I can find something i like without cringing rather than having a discount for a housemate. There is no price point for me because i always feel like i will be able to find something suitable in my budget. However, if i were in a ridiculously expensive area (Manhattan, Grand Cayman, CA?), then if i could only find a 1BR for 2k, and a roommate brought it down to 1k (upper limit of my budget) THEN, i might have to have a roommate.

I would sacrifice on the apt/condo/house before i would sacrifice and have a housemate. I think there are those that look at spending 1k for a 1BR apt and can afford it, but would rather only spend $500 on a place with a roommate in order to save that $$. I would find a way to afford the 1k place (work more hours on my breaks, sacrifice on my vehicle, etc) instead of going into a housemate situation.

 

[DVMorBust]

I would sacrifice on the apt/condo/house before i would sacrifice and have a housemate. I think there are those that look at spending 1k for a 1BR apt and can afford it, but would rather only spend $500 on a place with a roommate in order to save that $$. I would find a way to afford the 1k place (work more hours on my breaks, sacrifice on my vehicle, etc) instead of going into a housemate situation.

Agreed. There isn't only the roommate factor to consider - there are other things you can give up before giving up solitude. Person A who values living alone, but isn't opposed to getting up earlier to have a long bus ride could spend just as much as person B who wants to roll out of bed and into class, but then shares near-campus housing (usually more expensive) with 3 other people, person C may want both but is OK working while in school, etc. etc. etc. Just because having a housemate is an easy way to bring expenses down doesn't mean it's the only way to do so.

 

[sumstorm]

So far, all the apartments the school has recommended forbid 'dangerous breeds' or 'aggressive breeds' which means I would need to get rid of my shepherd. My expensive shepherd (both in terms of breeding and the thousands of hours of SAR training.) It is a sacrifice that I am not willing to make, so we have been looking at houses. The thing with buying a house is you need to be able to sell it without still owing on the mortgage in 4 years. So, that really has put the base costs in the area I am looking at over 1k/month (factoring in PMI, escrow, etc.)

I would be fine with living alone, but believe I can handle living with someone else. I have to decide between a house with my shepherd and my volunteer work in SAR which seems so incredibly valuable to me or extra privacy and living by myself. Also, I sincerly believe if I returned my shepherd to her breeder (which would break my heart) I would blackball myself in some of the upper level training circles.

Theoretically, I could leave my shepherd with husband, but she is an intense working dog that needs to be ran every single day, which he is not going to do. So then she might become a problem dog, which would be even sadder than returning her. I really despise breed labels.

 

[meadow36]

I am curious, for those who say the savings aren't worth the aggravation, is there any price point at which you would consider it worthwhile to have housemates?

In my experience, when I looked into it the savings w/ a roommate was only about $100 to $300 / month, depending on the area. That's ONE shift of over time a month, maybe 1 1/2. I would rather work the overtime.

I moved from NY to FL 3 years ago, by myself, didn't know anybody, and I was fine. Yeah I spent a lot of time walking the dogs and working out those first few months, but eventually I made friends and started going out socially. I am one of those very independent people who is very capable of entertaining myself. 😀

 

[sumstorm]

Well, the deal on the first house we wanted fell through and now we are putting a bid on another house. Still nice, bit bigger, other side of the school, still biking distance (and walking if necessary) and in this house, 2 rooms upstairs with a bathroom, master downstairs with a bathroom AND a basement apt with seperate entrance (though only a kitchenette.)

Also half acre with 2/3 fenced in, plus covered parking for 3 vehicles, and space for a few more off street if necessary.

When I look at the cost, the cheapest place i could find to live solo was a studio 30 minutes out (longer during rush hour, and our classes seem to be mostly 8-5) and none of the apartments would take a GSD. Not optional. It was $595/mo + utilities. unfurnished. House mortgage will be ~700/mo. Also lower crime that any of the areas with apartments. Plus, anyone who wants to come in the house with the shepherd barking at them is welcome to try (she is actually a big love bug, but most people don't assume that when she is barking.)

 

[JulieB361]

I'm really torn about my living plans. I had both really great and really terrible roommates during college. I think at this point I want to try living alone because I just want my own space. I want to decorate it the way I want, study when I want, and not have to apologize for my animals. I actually have a pretty good dog and cat, but I've lived with roommates who just didn't understand that they needed to keep food up high or close the front door. Although I prob wouldn't have that prob with vet students. 🙄 I also have a long distance SO and I want him to be able to stay with me as often as possible without causing issues.

I feel kind of nervous about living alone for the first time in a totally new place. I'm also not thrilled about spending the extra money to live alone, but it won't be too terrible because cost of living is low in Kansas. I think I would feel different if I was moving to an expensive city.

I guess as many of you have said there are pros and cons either way. I will prob try living alone and then find a roommate second year if I don't like it.

 

[mistifical]

I'm currently living alone. I'm REALLY glad I decided to... as I was packing up to move, one of my roommates, who I'd been really close with, did a complete 180 on me. I've also had problems with my roommates not understanding my pets (I'm sorry my dogs ate your underwear/sandwhich/why haven't you learned your lesson yet, but you left it in their reach and I'm sorry my cat yakked under your bed, its disgusting, but you could shut your door and keep her out). So it was quite a relief to me to get out of there and into my own place... where if there were dishes in the sink it was all my fault, etc. Plus my parents got me a really nice couch for my birthday a few years ago that I wasn't going to part with, so moving into an established house wasn't really an option. And I have two pit bulls... so no apartment was going to take me and I had to rent privately. One of the most important things for me when looking for a house was to find one with a decent sized yard. Even if I didn't have the time to take my dogs for long walks, they could run around and release some energy, or I could play with them in the yard/take them on trails when I have time.

So, in my search for houses with a decent yard for my dogs, I found several that were more expensive than where I am living now, with smaller yards, and in much worse condition. People tell me my house is expensive, but when I compare it to what my other options were, it is well worth it. I had been looking for a roommate up until I did the math/my roommate went psycho on me... and I decided that getting myself and my pets adjusted to a new life in a new house in a new town and VET SCHOOL... well, I didn't want to deal with a roommate on top of that.

Currently, I'm looking for someone to move into the 2nd bedroom (it's a small 3 br house, 3rd one is an office/place for the pooches to sleep...) to lower my costs (I've been able to manage, but I will be able to take out significantly less in loans if I have a roommate).

K. Thats my take on the issue. I'm tired, I'm supposed to be studying, and I'm sorry that my grammar was terrible (I couldn't tell what tense I was writing in... hmm).

Oh! And I am a pretty big introvert, so the first few weeks were really hard on me since it was just me and the pets, getting unpacked and settled in... not knowing anybody. But once school got started, all that went away.

 

[sumstorm]

I guess I am pretty anal about how my dogs behave.... I would be very upset if my dog ate anyone's anything (they have bones and toys, all of which go in one basket...and they don't mess with anything else.)

I admit, I am concerned that a housemate will want to bring a poorly behaved dog into the household. Trying to figure out how I would handle that. I KNOW that I won't be ok with dogs left uncrated/penned for the day (large pens are find...xpens are fine if the dog will stay in them...but young/unfamiliar dogs can get into a lot of trouble in a house.)

 

[justinpaws]

I've never done it, but I've had more than enough terrible roommates with their share of awful/dirty/annoying/inconsiderate habits to steer me towards getting an apartment by myself.

Hahaha, the first thing I thought when I read this was...I'd only need a roommate to hold my cat while I trim his nails, or feed him if I'm going to be gone all day 🙂

 

[RockStarKDub]

I just want to chime in and say that I moved 1000 miles away from home to a place where I know no one, live alone because I do not share well with others (even though I'm super friendly!), and have had absolutely no problem making friends and being social. I'm sure it might be easier with housemates, but there is so much going on at vet school all the time that you're never at a loss for someone to hang with.

And like others have said, the extra cost (which isn't that much extra, tbh) is so worth being able to set my own schedule and dance around in my underwear to Lady Gaga if I should so desire.

 

[sambone]

Definitely check out both options!
I couldn't decide so I checked out both types of housing. What helped most was actually visiting some single bedroom apts and also some places where rooms were available w/housemates. Originally I was leaning toward living alone, but I decided to take a room in a house with some upperclassmen vet students. Visiting the places really helped me figure out what was more important - In the single apts, I tried to imagine how it felt to be alone in there, and realized I really didn't like it. After 6 yrs of living with friends/finace, I hate coming home to empty apt! I'm also used to having nice big living spaces, which I definitely could not have afforded on my own.

 

[prevet09]

i had a question about renting... do people sublet their apartments over the summer? i plan to live with a roommate, and i would like to sublet over the summer if i am not there. however, i dont want to impose her with a new person if they don't get along very well... but i also dont want to be paying double rent if i have a job somewhere else (or if i'm bumming off my parents at home =D)

 

[sumstorm]

i had a question about renting... do people sublet their apartments over the summer? i plan to live with a roommate, and i would like to sublet over the summer if i am not there. however, i dont want to impose her with a new person if they don't get along very well... but i also dont want to be paying double rent if i have a job somewhere else (or if i'm bumming off my parents at home =D)

You will need to check with the people you are renting from...some places don't allow sublets...and in a college town it might be hard to find people to rent for the summer (and generally you will also need to worry about your belongings as well storage wise.)

For everyone saying it doesn't save you that much money, in the area Iam looking the absolute cheapest rent for a studio seems to be ~$600, with ~$750 for a 2 bedroom (which also had larger living spaces and a nicer set up.) I am just running the numbers, but generally, the electricity needed for 2 people and the heating needed for 2 people is not twice that of one person. So that would be an added economy. So, for us, we have 2 months off in the summer, so 10 months where we need a place to stay.

So, roughly $600 * 10 * 4 = 24,000 not including utilities and dealing with things like lousy neighbors (especially in apartment buildings....lousy neighbors can be as much of a problem as roommates.)

Or, 2 bedroom apartment or mortgage on house with a roommate = $750 * 1/2 * 10 * 4 = 15,000

Difference of nearly 10k (probably over that once you factor in utlities, internet, etc.) I have looked up to an hour out from campus (which I am not willing to commute that much) and the prices dont' seem to be varying by much ($50 for rentals, housing is cheaper.) Plus, from the sounds of it, many people will be taking out thier rent in loans with interest...which seems like over the life of the loan that could become a very expensive option. I could be 100% wrong...but 10k is a down payment on a house. I do realize that I look at things differently because I still don't think I will get any aid.

I just keep hearing that there isn't much financial difference, but to me, and maybe this is due to my dirt poor upbringing, 10k is significant. It is a personal decisions....but really do consider the reality of the numbers before dismissing them. It will vary from city to city.

 

[ZooNose]

I just keep hearing that there isn't much financial difference, but to me, and maybe this is due to my dirt poor upbringing, 10k is significant. It is a personal decisions....but really do consider the reality of the numbers before dismissing them. It will vary from city to city.

I couldn't agree with you more. And utilities are the worst part! They will add a big chunk to those final calculated numbers. I really wish more places were 'utilities included' ...

 

[sumstorm]

I couldn't agree with you more. And utilities are the worst part! They will add a big chunk to those final calculated numbers. I really wish more places were 'utilities included' ...

😉 For me, the difference is also the ability to have my SAR shepherd live with me, not 4 hours away, which would mean I couldn't do SAR any more 🙁

Also, the differnce I am finding isn't generally studio vs 2 bedroom. The house we are looking at has a large foyer, large family room, large great room, large dining room, large kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths upstairs, plus an 'economoy' style apartment in the 'basement (on a hill, so basement has half in earth and half above ground) with a seperate entrance plus 1/2 acre fenced. All for $150 more a month than a studio. The cost is the same as the 2 bedroom apartments I have found, and I will actually be closer (within walking distance) to campus.

 

[3dogsand2cats]

So I am really glad that this post is here. I will be moving to Raleigh, NC within the next few months. This will be the first time in my life that I am living alone. My fiancé will not be joining me until spring or maybe even the summer of next year. While I know I will miss him very much I also know that the extra alone time will be good for me. So I will more than likely be the odd man out from the sound of most of these post and will be living alone.

 

[sumstorm]

LOL.

Hubby just told me tonight he intends to start looking for work in the Raleigh area. I was shocked....we MOVED here for his career! Banking isn't good right now though, and the whole congress 90% tax thing has him upset and anxious. He doens't want to be a whipping boy for the banking industry (he is a tech guy.)

I was really floored. He said if I had roommates at that point, we would discuss it with them...but so far most people we know love living with the computer expert who is a really generous guy.

 

[lailanni]

If you are moving to another area or state for vet school, I would not suggest living alone, at least until you make friends and become familiar with the new area. Maybe you guys are different, but I'm not an outgoing person and I have trouble becoming close to new people. It's so much easier when you are part of a group, or you're a housemate with someone who is friends with people already. The opportunities to get closer to people are always there and are easy to take, vs. when you live alone you have to initiate them yourself and really be outgoing.

Everyone has a different personality -- for me, I'd recommend the opposite.

First you usually have an orientation where you get to know your classmates. Then at school, you are with the same 100 or so people every single day. Personally, that's a little too much together time and I need a place to go with no people at all.

I do live alone and I've moved to a completely new area. I am very happy and have made new friends here. I know I'd probably go crazy if I were forced to have a roomie, it just wouldn't work for me.

I found living alone especially helpful at the very beginning of vet school. With everything so different and chaotic, it was nice to have a place that was just mine and I could focus on building my own cozy little personal bubble.

Plus there's clubs, lunch/dinner lectures, and random fun stuff all through school, so I find that it's easy to be social and meet new people if you want. I consider myself fairly quiet, but vet school is a very easy environment to meet people. (I also lucked out and my lab partners rock)

 

[StillDreaming]

I am also in the same boat. Not sure where i will be going, or what i will be doing as far as licing situations. If I go to Tufts, I will definitely be living with roommates (and this wil be random) for the first year. The cost of a single bedroom in this area is just too high for me toe ven consider living alone. If i go elsewhere, where the cost of living is lower, then i am considering living alone, as i too am tired of the Cons of living with roommates (this year has been especially bad for me).

 

[robeezy08]

Thought I'd bump this up since it's getting closer to that time - apt/house hunting! For me, this has been a tough decision and I was completely adamant about living alone first year b/c I adore my freedom of leaving dirty dishes out when I'm too lazy to do them....BUT now that I've been to the campus and surrounding community I don't think I can afford it! A one bedroom or studio in a relatively safe community will cost me $900 - 1200 vs. (w/ roommate) about $600 all inclusive! I figure the money saved will go to travel expenses (my BF in school out east) and/or saving for my own place next year if the roommate thing doesn't work out.

First you usually have an orientation where you get to know your classmates. Then at school, you are with the same 100 or so people every single day. Personally, that's a little too much together time and I need a place to go with no people at all.

I do live alone and I've moved to a completely new area. I am very happy and have made new friends here. I know I'd probably go crazy if I were forced to have a roomie, it just wouldn't work for me.

I found living alone especially helpful at the very beginning of vet school. With everything so different and chaotic, it was nice to have a place that was just mine and I could focus on building my own cozy little personal bubble.

Plus there's clubs, lunch/dinner lectures, and random fun stuff all through school, so I find that it's easy to be social and meet new people if you want. I consider myself fairly quiet, but vet school is a very easy environment to meet people. (I also lucked out and my lab partners rock)

I agree w/ lailanni that spending too much time together isn't always healthy and esp first year, when un-winding down in your own place is important. But then again, I've also found that some people like to spend all day on campus (8-8pm or later!) studying alone or w/ others, while some prefer to go straight home. For those that spend alot of time on campus, the cozy apt becomes a space where you just eat and sleep. For first year, I have a feeling I'll be on campus all day M-F and will only go home to sleep, eat, shower and feed cat. Other PRO's - I'll be living w/ a 2nd year vet student so I think that sorta solves the issue of 'too much time together w/ classmates' and townhome has a porch, which I can lounge and study alone if I feel too confined in my bedroom. Study preference is something to consider too when looking for your own place. I'm the type of person that enjoys studying with or around others (like coffee shops!) and can just zone everything out w/ some music if needed. But if you're the opposite and can afford your own place, then do it 🙂
Good Luck to everyone looking for housing and keep us posted on your decisions.

 

[primatevetjess]

I know that it's going to be more expensive, but I kind of have to live alone. First of all, I have four cats. I don't think there are many people out there who would be OK with that, haha. Plus, other vet students usually have a pet or two, and I don't think 5+ cats would be a good idea and my cats are terrified of dogs. Also, I'm married, and my husband will be staying here, in L.A. But when he comes to visit me... I kind of want a place to ourselves, ya know? I think it would be weird to have a roommate around.

Also, I'll be 27 when vet school starts, and I've have plenty of roommate experience in the past. I'm too set in my ways and have enjoyed the pros of not having roommates for far too long.

 

[1CellNtheSea]

I'm living alone for my first year and I love it. I figured I wouldn't know anyone well enough to commit to living with them. I'm the kind of person who has serious "me" time and go by my own schedule. It's worked out really well. Moving across the country was a big deal and I wanted somewhere to come home to where I can be myself. I'm living with a girl from my class this coming fall and we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it'll be a good thing because I can get really antisocial come exam time and it would probably do me good to have some stimulation!

 

[themightyfuzz]

I love having roommates. I am usually extremely flexible on how clean/chaotic I am, depending on who I'm living with 🙂

Only downside is now, I'll be married and have a SO with me in Madison, which is fine. We have a 2 bedroom apartment secured (the price was negligible from the 1 bedroom), but I don't think there are too many people willing to room with a couple, even if we're quiet and easygoing. Oh well, I suppose! I guess if the building allowed pets, that would entice folks to reconsider, but since it does not (well it allows small caged critters, not dogs/cats), we're on our own. 🙂