I have only really ever had to find a place to live once before because everything else just kind of worked itself out without any effort on my part. I grew up in my parents’ house, then I went to college and moved into the sorority where I lived for 4 years. After college was over I moved back home for 6 months before law school. That summer was one of my favorites. I worked a lot of food service, and saved so I could get my very own apartment. I also had a lot of fun. I forgot though, how stressful that apartment hunt was. It involved a few very stressful trips to Seattle with B, looking at the most ghetto apartments either of us had ever seen, having a woman in McDonalds tell me I was going to get fat when I was ordering a medium french fries to share. Needless to say there were also a lot of tears involved with those trips.
Eventually though, I found my over-priced, downtown apartment just a short walk away from the law school. I moved in, experienced the whole living alone thing (and being more grown up than ever before, sort of, minus the whole 1L thing) and then at the end of my first year moved back home again for another epic summer in Hood River. At the end of that summer I moved back to Seattle and into the house I’m in now. It is owned by the people I used to nanny for. They were moving, my roommates and I were looking for somewhere to live, they asked us if we wanted to rent their house, it’s beautiful and newly remodeled (heated floors? what?) so obviously we said yes and that was that.
Fast forward two years, in the middle of studying for the bar and I’m looking for somewhere to live again. Alone again. Tears again. I looked at a place yesterday that smelled like urine and had a built in murphy bed in the living room (it was a one bedroom). No thank you?
This new place will be the place where for the first ever time experience a real, grown up life. It is the place where I will experience life without school for the first time, where I will be living when I start my first ever lawyer job (well hopefully anyway, fingers crossed that I pass this bar). It’s exciting. I just hope I can find the perfect place.
In my expert opinion, finding somewhere to live and studying for the bar have to be two of the most stressful thing. Mixing them together is almost unmanageable. So, the moral of my story today, friends, is that you shouldn’t ever think that you can move during (or in my case the week immediately following) the bar. Not. Worth. It.
6 comments:
Good luck apt hunting! I know you will find a great place!!
I hear ya! It's totally stressful finding a decent place to live. I am apartment hunting myself right now, just put an app in with a place today (keeping fingers crossed). Anyway, I can highly recommend apartment locators. Every city has some, Google Apartment locator and you will find some names. Give them your criteria and they do a lot of the leg work for you and then send you a list of places you can take a look at. Best thing I ever did! I used an apartment locator when I moved to Houston in 2002 and then this week for my new place.
Also, it's worth mentioning that locators are free because they are paid by apartment complexes when you rent there. Give it a try if you need help finding a place and good luck on the bar!
Ugh. I didn't know you were looking for an apartment solo during this studying period too. I can't imagine how stressed out you must be!!! Keep plugging away though -- you're so close to being done! I hope you find someplace awesome!
I actually love apartment hunting! I find it exciting. Good luck with finding the perfect one sweetie.
Between the lines
Just like taking the bar, I think you should be ready financially and emotionally when you decide to get your own place. It's a huge responsibility so better do it when you're ready and well-equipped with a stable job at hand.
@Los Prados Apartments: Well my lease is ending so I have to move. I'm not about to be homeless so I need to find another place, with or without a job. I'm pretty sure that anyone renting is going to understand why I haven't been working the last few months. Also I've been living on my own for the last 7 years, so I think I can handle it. But thanks for your condescending advice.
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