Apartment Searching

Alright, all you “real worlders” (aka, non-college-ers), I might need some advice.

As mentioned below, I finally found out where I’ll be living/learning/working next year. Which is awesome, and a huge relief, and *whoa*. For the first time in my life, I have to find an apartment, live with people I don’t really “know”, in a city that I’m totally unfamiliar with. And I’m SO exciteddddd.

I’ve done all of the above, just never all at once. I’ve lived in Orlando (internship), and had no idea where I was going for about a month. I knew how to get to and from work, and to and from Target (obviously). That’s about it. But I lived there with LB, and our apartments were provided. Oh, the good life.

I’ve lived with people I don’t know, but someone I did know was always there too (see above). In fact, we lived with 6 other “someones” that we didn’t know. 8 girls, 1 apartment. Yes, I’m crazy. But it turned out to be amazing, and I still love them and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not to say I’d do it again, if I don’t have to, but we live and we learn.

I’ve lived in an apartment for two years (also with LB, and Sally, and Em, hi!). However, I had nothing to do with the selection process. LB said “Hey we have an extra space, want to be our roommate?”, and I said (omg, YES YES YES) “Sure! That’d be awesome!”, and then I made sure that Em could come too. And that was settled. And two years later I refuse to accept that I have to move out in three weeks. We are not talking about that. Oh, college.

Anyway. Now I have to exit this “bubble” of a town and enter the real life. I’m searching for apartments online and hoping that the picture I see isn’t cropped to avoid displaying the rotting property next door, or shot from an angle that makes the “beautiful park in front” look spacious and inviting, instead of the 10 ft square of grass that it actually is.

No, I’m not actually that pessimistic about this process. But this is definitely quite the task to take on while finishing up classes, studying for finals, and packing (which we are not thinking about). Plus, I won’t be able to go down there to actually visit any of these places, which is also hard. Because I happen to be driving across the country in the other direction. Of course. Alas, on goes the apartment search!

Any advice, throw it out there. I’m all ears! (or reading eyes)