Student Housing

[NitoSpeak]

Okay, so me and my gal pal are thinking student housing might be the best and most affordable way for us to move out together. We can barely make ends meet as it is and together we're only pullin in 3000 bucks a month. This seems like our best option for the near future, but I have some questions that apparently no one has the answers to on Google. People just don't seem to have my same priorities, so I decided to come here to ask you, my fellow Escapists a couple simple questions.

1. (How safe is it?) I know this one can vary depending on location, so i'll just tell you we're in Los Angeles. It's gated and everything so this one doesn't concern me too much, I just wanted to hear some input from various other Escapists who have been through this experience before.

2. (Is the internet slow as hell?) The way I figure it, it's a bunch of college kids like me with their fancy PS3's and PC's and Xbox's all using the internet at ridiculous hours of the night. Doesn't sound like it would be a very speedy or fast connection at all, but hell, maybe I'm wrong. I really don't know. Any input?

3. (Is it noisy as hell at night?) These kids are gonna party, it is their time to make those college memories and all that stupid bullshit. In your experiences was this something that usually got in the way, or was there some sort of policy against after hours partying. Some of us don't get to go to college on their parents dime. Some of us work 45 hours a week and bust their ass for everything they own.


I know there's more but that's all I can think of right now. Anyway please answer respectfully and give me your input. So far i've received very helpful advice on every topic i've made so I'm very grateful to you guys sharing your lessons and experience with me. Great way to learn. As a side note please don't respond with weird little funny one liners that don't actually answer any of my questions...I don't know why people do that, but it seems to happen a lot. Thank you again guys. Help a brother move out.

 

[Trivun]

1. (How safe is it?) I know this one can vary depending on location, so i'll just tell you we're in Los Angeles. It's gated and everything so this one doesn't concern me too much, I just wanted to hear some input from various other Escapists who have been through this experience before.

It can be pretty safe anyway as long as you're sensible. Although the UK (where I am) is different to the USA, I (being a student) live in a student area. We do have a fairly bad crime rate, I was burgled twice last year, but that's almost always down to people being stupid by leaving their doors unlocked and such. With us, it was because the last person to leave the house for holidays forgot the alarm (the same person both times), and on one occasion the culprit was an ex-employee of our landlord so he had an illegally cut key anyway. If you're sensible, the risk is no greater than living anywhere else.

2. (Is the internet slow as hell?) The way I figure it, it's a bunch of college kids like me with their fancy PS3's and PC's and Xbox's all using the internet at ridiculous hours of the night. Doesn't sound like it would be a very speedy or fast connection at all, but hell, maybe I'm wrong. I really don't know. Any input?

Something of a misconception there. True, we have pretty crap internet at times, but that's down to our ISP, who are crap anyway wherever (I've heard, when complaining, the same things occurring all over the place, not just in student areas). And there's almost a minimal effect near me from people on games consoles and online gaming, in fact, among students there's a misconception that young males tend to play massive amounts of video games online, which just isn't true at all. I know a lot of people at university who play games, and they mostly play offline, or play things like FIFA and Pro Evo (football games) and such. So I'd say with regards to internet, get a decent service provider and you'll be fine.

3. (Is it noisy as hell at night?) These kids are gonna party, it is their time to make those college memories and all that stupid bullshit. In your experiences was this something that usually got in the way, or was there some sort of policy against after hours partying. Some of us don't get to go to college on their parents dime. Some of us work 45 hours a week and bust their ass for everything they own.

Again, a massive misconception. The only way you're likely to have problems with noise is if your house is next door to a bunch of freshers, or next door to a band. True, people in older years also like to party, but having lived in a student area for two-and-a-half years I can safely say that I have had almost zero occasions where people have been really loud and disturbing. In fact, the majority of cases where that has happened, it's been my own housemates, who tended to go out partying while I was more interested in student union events and stuff instead. So no, it's not noisy as hell, and you should be fine in a student area if you need to live in one.

Hope this helps .

 

[DocMcCray]

1. (How safe is it?) I know this one can vary depending on location, so i'll just tell you we're in Los Angeles. It's gated and everything so this one doesn't concern me too much, I just wanted to hear some input from various other Escapists who have been through this experience before.

Keeping your room locked is going to be your #1 worry. Keep that covered and you usually don't have to spend much time thinking about it. If you do any sort of drugs or alcohol (I sure and hell won't judge) just make sure you don't do too much and do it in a safe place. Random houses and apartments or people you don't know can be an easy way to get screwed over by other people or even the police. All in all, student housing from my experience is pretty safe.

2. (Is the internet slow as hell?)

Can't really help ya there. It depends on the provider. Best way to get around this is LAN parties. Find enough people nearby and you can have as much, if not more fun than going on Live or PSN. Plus killing a friend and hearing them screaming from across the hallway is the ultimate "Hell, yeah."

3. (Is it noisy as hell at night?) These kids are gonna party, it is their time to make those college memories and all that stupid bullshit. In your experiences was this something that usually got in the way, or was there some sort of policy against after hours partying. Some of us don't get to go to college on their parents dime. Some of us work 45 hours a week and bust their ass for everything they own.

Not that bad during the week, usually. Remember, they have classes too. Weekends are a different story. That's when all hell will break loose and there are 24 hour parties. Most times this can be defused by asking your neighbors to turn down their tv/radio. Most people are pretty good about doing this. Might also be a good idea to check out what the housing's noise policy is. Every place has one. They vary though.

Ultimately I think you'll be surprised by how many people are in similar situations you are, so they will definately be inclined cooperate. Those who don't or drink too much or party too hard tend to flunk out quick, thus solving that problem too.