Ol`gita Major: International Economic Relations Status: Workygirl I am fond of chocolates, flowers, friends, loud music, watching movies, taking pictures and traveling!!!

Place to Live
Olya Bezvushko

If you are already enrolled at the US university, the next thing you should consider is the place where you will live while studying. You have to choose between on-campus and off-campus options. 

Most American schools offer international students to live on-campus in dormitories, not far from school’s classrooms, libraries and other facilities. There are many rooms in a dormitory for living, usually with 2 or 3 people per room. Bathrooms are often shared. On-campus lodging provides close proximity to the cafeteria and other eating establishments. You can get a very comfortable meal-plan program, where you can choose to pay in advance for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You may also deposit some money at the beginning of the semester for food that you may buy from certain places. 

You can choose a room to live in the dormitory by yourself that will suite your lifestyle and budget. Cleaning services and on-site portering is provided in on-campus accommodations. At each residence you can find a tutor and a team of senior students who offer out of office hours support and advice. Besides, so many things are going on in campuses that you can become a part of a wonderful social life, while living there.
 
There are dormitories with well technologically equipped rooms with computers, high-speed internet connection and so on. The only things you should bring with you are: bed linen, crockery, cutlery, some cooking utensils and also in some cases pillows and blankets. Most residences have bike stores, but if you have a car it can be difficult to find a parking space for it on-campus.  

Living Off-Campus. There are universities, which do not provide international students with on-campus accommodation or you will probably decide not to live their. In a case like that, you can speak to off-campus housing officer who will assist you to find a good place to live, besides try to make a search in the Internet by yourself. Also, the office coordinator may help you to find an appropriate roommate to share the expenses and give you information about the local neighborhoods, including public transportation, shopping centers, parks and popular restaurants.

Before making a final decision about the rent of certain apartment, see round the area to find out either it is convenient for living, has a well-developed infrastructure. Examine the lease carefully before signing. If you do not understand any point in it, ask the landlord, your friends or the international student office representative to explain it to you.   

Remember, that the place you choose to live will have a significant impact on your lifestyle, studies, budget and health. That’s why, it is important to consider all aspects of the accommodation you are planning to rent. It is also important to remember, that it may be difficult to find what you think to be your “ideal” kind of apartment due to the shortage of accommodation in a whole, so probably you will have to settle it by yourself.