Tip #1: Start Looking Early
Off-campus living can be extremely hard to find in Kingston, especially when you鈥檙e considering multiple factors such as location i.e. (proximity to campus, entertainment, and grocery stores), pricing, number of housemates required, number of bathrooms, additional amenities, security, and leasing management companies. Furthermore, most places become available in October and November of your first year. With that being said, it's also important to consider how many first-year students need housing in their second year; according to the Queen鈥檚 2022-23 Enrolment Report, there were 5,420 first-year students. Add in the fact that St Lawrence College students are also looking for housing, and it鈥檚 easy to see how waiting till the last minute to look can be a recipe for disaster as pickings become slimmer. With that being said, the biggest piece of advice you will receive from any upper-year student at any post-secondary institution is to start looking as early as possible. The earlier you start, the more likely you are to find a place that meets your desired requirements.
Tip #2: How to Find Housemates
It can be extremely hard to know if someone will make a 鈥済ood鈥 housemate early on; you鈥檙e in a new environment where you鈥檙e meeting a lot of new people, and while you鈥檙e making friends, you may not know enough about someone to make a good judgment on if they will be a suitable housemate for you. What defines a suitable housemate can be different for everyone, therefore, it鈥檚 important that you create a list outlining qualities or things you鈥檙e looking for in a housemate. These qualities may include things such as that they鈥檙e clean or that they鈥檙e in the same program as you. There鈥檚 no one list that suits everyone so make sure that you create one that鈥檚 personalized for you. You may not find housemates that meet every single thing on your list, but at least you鈥檒l have a better idea of what it is that you want and don鈥檛 want.
Tip #3: Make A Housemate Agreement
While housing with friends can be a fun and exciting experience, it鈥檚 important that you all agree on rules for your house, both so that there is a clear understanding of everyone鈥檚 expectations and quite frankly, for the sake of your friendship. Housemate agreements typically include various aspects, and templates can be found online. For example, a household might decide to include guidelines in terms of groceries. Does everyone buy, eat, and label their own food? Does everyone eat whatever they find in the cupboards regardless of who paid for it? Are certain goods (i.e. toilet paper) common with payment being split evenly and others individually paid for? These types of things should be clearly outlined and agreed upon by all housemates so that everyone is aware and to avoid potential misunderstandings.
Tip #4: Having a Budget When Looking For Housing
When looking for housing, it鈥檚 important to have a budget. In terms of creating that list, I have 3 components that I would advise:
- Do a lot of research on Kingston and what the norms are.
- For parents, know what you are comfortable with in terms of where your child is. For example, area and security.
- Have a list of must-haves or non-negotiables that you do not want to budge on. For example, if you don鈥檛 want to share a bathroom with anyone else,
- Set a budget but be open to that budget changing when choosing housing
These tips may sound extremely simple for budget-creating, but they allow you to outline exactly what you are looking for, as well as what is required for you (and your parents) to be comfortable with your living situation.