Off Campus – UCLA On The Hill

For those of you moving off campus, here are 5 tips on how to survive in your apartment next year:

DON’T LOCK YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR APARTMENT. Just don’t. There’s no more front desk to give you a new key card. Instead there is your potentially old and shirtless landlord who will have to unlock your door for you, which is insanely awkward and uncomfortable (true story). However, if you know you’re just one of those people who will inevitably forget their keys at some point, make a copy of them and give it to one of your friends so they can let your sorry and forgetful self back in.
Buy a plunger. Buy it before you need it. You don’t want to be that person at the register who is only buying a plunger and seems to be in a rush. Everyone will be secretly (or not so secretly) laughing at you.
Find cheap ways to furnish your apartment. The days of furnished residence halls are no more. Instead, you have an empty apartment, and an equally empty wallet. But that’s no reason not to have an awesome apartment. Take advantage of graduating senior friends of yours and ask for their furniture if they aren’t going to need it in their next apartment. Or look around for yard sales that may have cheap stuff as well. There are also other ways to make furniture, like this couch made out of recycled wooden pallets.
Learn to cook. As much as you might want to, you can’t live your entire next year off of instant ramen and Kraft Mac and Cheese. Find a good food blog to follow that makes cheap and easy meals. But also know that if you have absolutely no cooking skills, there are non-resident meal plans available through the housing office.
Enjoy your freedom! You’re a big kid now. Don’t mess it up.