College can be an amazing experience. However, one of the more daunting tasks between figuring out your major, choosing classes, and buying supplies can be looking for student housing — especially if you’ve procrastinated on this.
No need to fret. Below are some tips to help you find student housing at the last minute.
Take A Deep Breath and Stay Calm
Whether you are a new student who waited until the umpteenth hour to find housing out of sheer inexperience or an older student who simply got caught up in summer fun, there is absolutely no need to panic at this point. Staying calm and keeping a clear head in the situation will help you find the student housing accommodation that meets your needs and budget.
Hit the Ground Running
So, you’re calm, cool, and collected. It’s time to act quickly, stay focused, and get organized.
The first thing to do is organize a to-do list with the people and places you plan on reaching out to. Once everything is organized, it’s time to start your search.
The sooner you hit the ground running, the better your search will be.
Reach Out to Your College/University Housing Service
There are some institutions out there that can guarantee accommodations for students. Therefore, it’s best to reach out to your school’s housing service first to see what is available.
If housing is not guaranteed, this service might still be able to provide you with vacancies that are left or any last-minute cancellations that are kicking around. They may be able to put you in contact with other options in and around campus as well.
Pool Your Network of Friends and Student Peers
If you want to get a step up on your search, look to gather vacancy listings that have yet to be officially posted. This can be done by placing some calls, texts, or emails to friends or other students who are attending your school.
Getting the word out that you are looking for housing is a good way to direct those listings your way and ensure you secure something in a quick manner.
Jump Online
For those who love social media and the Internet, head online.
There may be Facebook groups for your school that list student housing vacancies or hashtags on Twitter that can direct you to a listing. Plus, some institutions offer student forums on their websites that provide vacancy listings.
Check Out Your School Paper
While it might seem a little old school, your school newspaper is a great resource for listings or ads about student housing. Landlords use school newspapers to fill vacancies. Plus, you may find students looking for a roommate or for someone to sublet their rooms.
Source A Realtor
If all else fails, perhaps reaching out to a realtor might be a good option. For the most part, realtors offer their services for free to those looking to rent since they are paid landlords to connect them to potential tenants.
Since they make their money through commissions, realtors are always looking to hustle and help their clients out until they have found what they are looking for.
Final Thoughts
Finding student housing that not only fits your lifestyle and comfort, but your budget can be hard enough as it is. Doing it at the last minute can seem like a nightmare.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. At the end of the day, trust that there are plenty of vacancies in and around campus. As such, there is no need to worry about ending up homeless for your school year.
Once you do secure housing — and you will — you’ll be able to free up that worried mind to focus on other important issues, such as tuition fees and assignments. Moreover, here’s hoping that looking for student housing at the last minute will teach you a greater lesson for the future. The lesson of not leaving important details, like where you are going to live for the next eight months, to the very last minute.