<p>Has anyone lived in their own dorm room or off-campus apartment before? I ask because it may be impossible for me to find a decent roommate for an off-campus apartment for next year, and I'd rather live alone than with someone I can't entirely trust. Was it too lonely or too difficult to make new friends? </p>
<p>Also, has anyone ever lived in a co-op? It seems like getting a single room at a co-op would be ideal, as I'd have to put in labor hours per week and thus get to know people at the co-op, but I'd have my privacy when I wanted it. What do you all think?</p>
<p>My boyfriend lives alone. He is a little lonely but it’s not any harder to make friends than it would normally be. On the contrary, my floormates won’t come visit me because they hate my roommate. It’s making it harder for me to make friends in my hall because they won’t hang out with me without being assured she won’t turn up. I’d say bf and I are equal amounts of lonely, only I can’t effing relax until my roommate leaves and he always has the room to himself. It’s really hard to relax when you are CONSTANTLY around someone you don’t like. I get along with everyone I meet EXCEPT this girl. </p>
<p>My friend lives in a co-op and hates it. Hers is loud and they do nothing but drink and do drugs and it is constantly a mess. Naturally there are rules about shared chores and the like but it doesn’t work out that way. When I complained about my dorming situation she told me never to live in a co-op. My understanding, at least at my school, is that the dorms are more heavily regulated. I prefer that. However, other co-ops could very well be different. I would talk to an honest person from a co-op you are considering and find out if the story really goes the way they tell it.</p>
<p>I actually did talk to someone and found a co-op which supposedly was more focused on being quiet and letting grad students get their studying done and everything. However, I do hear that most co-ops feature drinking and smoking, which is a problem for someone who hates substance use! However, the rent is really really cheap, so I would prefer it if that was possible. Also, I’m rather worried about living entirely on my own in a cheap apartment, especially since it’d be far from campus. The rent for a single room near campus is WAY too high. I can’t stand dorm life for any longer!</p>
<p>Hopefully it won’t be more difficult to make friends! I just think a co-op would be a bit more social for me, which could be a great factor to consider.</p>
<p>When I first came to University, I had no choice but to live in the dorms, because there was rule about that. The rule was that if you moved to attend University from more than 75 miles away and if you were also under the age of 21, you had to stay in the dorms. I hated having to do that.
After my first two semesters at University, I was able to move out of the dorms.
My main thing with the dorms was that my scholarship covered everything but housing, so I unfortunately had to get student loans (which I have since paid off in full) for my first two semesters of University. The other thing is that my University is a very small private University in a rather bad area and the crime and lack of stuff to do got on my nerves.
So, I got a job at night and also did tutoring in order to move.
I do not regret it, but it is not for eveyone.
The bottom line is that there is no reason why you cannot make friends at University as well as in your neighborhood with no real trouble. I mean, you join a few clubs here and there at University- strike up a couple of conversations with your classmates before class starts and what have you. Participate in a few neighborhood activities here and there. And, all of that. I am a naturally friendly person, so it has never been hard for me to make pals.
The only thing that is hard when you live alone is that you have to have a very fair degree of self discipline. You have to know when to say when while throwing a party or when you are invited to a party. You have to keep your own personal finances in proper order really well. And, sometimes you have to just really use your time extra wisely. Like, I got rid of cable tv, because I dug it too much and it was making me start my hours of study late.
I do not regret it, though. I live near a nice park, library, and a movie theater. And all of this is in relatively close proximity to the local police station.</p>
<p>I live with my boyfriend so it’s not completely empty even though we have opposite schedules (he works days and I work nights). It’s not as lonely as I’d imagine. I cannot live with other people so living alone or with a significant other that I get along with is the only way. I’ve tried living with friends and it just doesn’t work. I like being completely alone sometimes.</p>
<p>I have friends, not school friends, but friends from work and mutual friends with my boyfriend. It’s not hard to gain friendships if you aren’t in a dorm.</p>
<p>I’ve always lived alone, even in the dorm. As of now, I live in alone in an apartment. I’m an only child and fit the only-child stereotype to a tee – I can’t stand to share or have a roommate.</p>
<p>Is there seriously an only child stereotype? I don’t want roommates either; I’m an only-child and I live alone. Its just its so much quieter to live by yourself and you don’t have anyone to bug you. I just need space- my bubble is bigger than some people I guess.</p>
<p>PlattsburghLoser, do you find that it is more lonely to live alone in an apartment than in a dorm, or are you actually enjoying it more? </p>
<p>I really would like my own ROOM at least, but I don’t think cooking, cleaning, and etc. everything (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) all by myself is truly ideal for me. See, I’m used to living at home with my own room, but not alone in the whole house…there were always people I knew around, basically.</p>
<p>I’m just afraid the apartment would be very isolated when compared with a dorm, but I do need my space, and I can’t stand dorm restrictions any more!</p>
I can’t stand dorm life for any longer!</p>