It's spring semester and it might be time to think about your housing options for next year. Many students choose to find an apartment with their friends or dorm mates, and while living in an apartment can be a new and fun experience, some people might find a hard time adjusting. here are a few tips in helping you decide what to look for.

Location: Unless you have a car, you don't really want to be walking/biking several miles jsut to get to class everyday. What if you have gaps? You'd be stuck on campus all day and no one likes that. The distance from campus is perhaps the number one priority when choosing an apartment according to my experience and many others.

Cost: Cost is perhaps the second most important thing to consider. If you don't mind having a roomate than that would definitely cut the rent down. There are plenty of apartment complexes with affordable rates, be sure to look around before settling in any one place.

Cleanliness: This might not be a factor for many people, but you have to realize that you are no longer living in the dorms. There will be no janitors to clean up your bathroom mess, and if your apartment is realtively clean to begin with then it would jsut make your job that much easier.

Other: There are many other factors to consider, but the important thing is to sort out on your own what is more important to you. If you spend all your time in the library than perhaps you don't need such a nice and spacious apartment, however if you're living with 5 other students than it might be wise to get a larger apartment. Of course, there are other options besides apartments such as the dorms again. There are also campus apartments such as the channing bowditch apartments, or the Wada apartments in Unit 2. Also, the international house is not just for international students, so that might also be an alternative. Co-ops are also an option, and there are plenty of those around that are close to campus and are affordable. Besure to check them out!