This year, not only have I finally achieved upperclassmen status, but I am now proudly one of Allston Village’s newest residents. With two of my best friends, I traded in my extra-long twin bed for a queen, and my meal plan for, on average, three DiGiorno pizzas a week.
It’s been a blast getting to explore a new cultural hub of the Boston area, but it has not been all fun and games, living out in the real world. And with that, I give to you a comprehensive explanation of all the things that are likely to happen to you when, and if, you move off campus.
You Leave (Most) of the Rules Behind
So you’re finally out on your own, with no RA to remind you when quiet hours begin, or to confiscate the coffee maker you’re trying to hide under your bed. Sure, you still have neighbors, but chances are, the walls won’t be so paper-thin, and no one can stop you from blasting the Hamilton soundtrack at 2am while you and your roommates make brownies. Just make sure you pay your rent, and turn off the stove top when you’re done. And, of course, be sure to hop on the T for class early enough to get there in time!
You Get to Buy and Make Your Own Food
Okay, so this one could go either way. Chances are, you’ll have a fridge a little bit larger than the BU microfridge, so you’ll definitely have a lot more room for snacks and leftovers. And you finally actually make all those recipes from Tasty videos you have saved on your phone! It also means, though, that you have to make your own trips to Star Market or Trader Joe’s, to get your own meals and ingredients, and food can be pricey! Also, try to get yourself one of those metal stock shopping carts before you make a big trip to get food because you will likely underestimate how much food you need, and how heavy it is. So unless you’re looking to turn your trip into an arms’ day workout, carts are great to help you conveniently carry everything you need without spilling any containers of berries or breaking any eggs.
You May Run Into Some Critters
Not going to lie, it is hard knowing that BU won’t be there to protect your brownstone from mice, cockroaches, or other city-dwelling critters. If you happen to see one scamper across your kitchen floor, though, don’t panic! Your landlord or super can generally be pretty good about showing up at your doorstep with a can of Raid, some snap-traps, and little Roach Motels. Even though I’ve been a vegetarian for five years, and I hate the thought of hurting the animals that sneak into my apartment, even I admit that you gotta do what you gotta do to keep your home clean and pest-free. Then, just for good measure, be sure to get yourself some good cleaning supplies, and scrub your floors and countertops until they shine.
You Get to Explore a Whole New Part of Boston
Boston is an amazing city, full of rich American history with an incredible array of local shops, cafes, and restaurants that extends far beyond Newbury Street or Mike’s Pastry in the North End (nothing against Mike’s Pastry; it’s still delicious). If you spent the afternoon walking up and down Harvard or Brighton Ave, you could run into so many charming businesses with so much to offer. Just the other day, my roommates and I, in an effort to be trendy and see what all the fuss was about, headed over to Hi B3ar, which serves made-to-order Thai ice cream rolls. It was amazing to watch the employees diligently roll the homemade ice cream into neat little scrolls that, even though it looks like a killer upper-body workout. When you live off campus, you get to surround yourself with hundreds more of other trendy places like Hi B3ar, and be part of their story.
You’ll Never Want to Move Back to Campus
Compared to so many schools, BU has pretty fantastic on-campus housing, from the brownstones on Bay State, to million-dollar view of the Boston skyline from the high floors of Stuvi1 and 2. But there’s something about living out on your own with your best friends that BU housing just can’t match. Sure, you’ll spend plenty of time hanging out on campus in your friends’ dorms and apartments, using their guest swipes so you can take some free bananas for the road, but there’s nothing like coming home to your very own place, even if there’s a mousetrap behind the fridge, and you have a creaky tile in the bathroom. Your home is what you make of it, and chances are, you’ll make it so great, you never want to leave.
