Goodbye Dorms, Hello Responsibility

Hi Anthony Here!

As a junior at UConn I was faced with the hard decisionof choosing to live on or off campus for my senior year. After talking it over with my friends and family I thought the best thing for myself was to go off campus and get my own apartment. Two friends and I set out to find the perfect place for next year. We decided to live in the Oaks on the Square, a new apartment complex that is part of the Storrs Center project that will bring more of a ‘town’ to UCon-Storrs. I am excited to get my own place and go out in the world on my own, but having an apartment is not just fun, it also comes with added responsibilities.

There is always the question of who is going to bring what to the apartment when you are moving in, and how are we going to set this place up, but these are not even the most important issues you have to think about when moving in. For me this is going to be the first time I am going to have to pay bills on my own. My parents are going to help with rent, but every utility not included in rent becomes my responsibility. This is a little scary, because stuff like this has been taken care of by my parents, but now it rests on my shoulders to make sure everything goes right. Not only do I need to manage money but I also have to make sure to keep on top of things so bills are paid on time.

The biggest concern I have with moving into my own place is learning how to cook. I am a master at the microwave and I can do precooked meals in the oven like a pro, but actually cooking a meal from beginning to end might be a challenge. This summer I plan on getting cooking lessons from my mom at least a couple times a week. I need to learn how to keep myself fed and alive for my senior year! This is one of the more exciting parts of moving out on my own. At 20 (almost 21) I think it is time that I learn how to cook, after all, I do have to take care of myself in the long run.

An apartment comes with a lot of responsibility, but there is a time that everyone needs to learn how to take care of themselves and become more accountable. I am excited to take the next step in my life and to finally have my own place!