After one year, two years, maybe even three years, college student living on campus all get the itch to have their own place. Dorming is where you meet some of your friends for life! It is the beginning of a journey shown in hundreds of TV shows and movies, leaving you fantasizing about college life. After your first or second year, you might want to entertain the idea of living off campus and exploring the different boroughs and neighborhoods within New York City.  

I chatted with some Honors students about living off campus. What does that look like? Why did they move, and if they like it? Moving off campus is the next step in your adult life, which can be scary, but hopefully, with their words of wisdom, it won’t look like such a daring feat.  

The first person I talked with was Deandra Catterson, a senior arts and entertainment management major with a creative writing minor. When I asked her about her experience living on an honors floor in Maria Tower, Catterson responded, “RIP. It was an adjustment, but it was worth it when it came to making friends and being close to the dining hall and classes!” She now lives with her boyfriend in a cute place on the Upper East Side.  

She explained that her move to off-campus living was not because of her experiences living on campus but because of the new experiences she was ready for. The independence of living in your own place is not easily replicated. She continued, “It’s a whole new level of independence – relying on groceries rather than the dining hall, having to commute 35 minutes to class, no room checks or anything like that! I also have more space and a bigger bed, which is great, and we could decorate it more as we wanted.”  

We then discussed the daunting idea of finding an apartment in NYC. “It seems intimidating at first, but once you get into it, it’s not so awful. We found our apartment off StreetEasy, a super helpful app that many people in the city use to find places!” She then continued how she managed to move off campus, “Always be looking at least two months before you want to move in and be on top of the realtors and postings since apartments can go FAST. Move-in dates are almost always the 1st of the month, but they fluctuate! Most people look for apartments over the summer, so be diligent!” These are the tips of a pro!  

Her last thoughts were, “As scary and intimidating as the process is – it will be okay! Also, don’t feel pressured to move off campus because everyone else is. It’s up to you and your situation!” NYC apartment can be overwhelming, but if broken down, it is just a series of steps to complete. And just remember, so many people do this all the time, so you can do it too!  

The following person I got to talk to was Emma Holland, a junior in digital marketing major who lived on an honors floor in 182 Broadway. She said, “I loved living on Broadway! The location gives people a good fix of city life because it’s on a busy NYC street and blocks away from super touristy places like the Oculus, the 9/11 memorial, and the World Trade Center, but you can’t move to NYC and escape things like that.” That inspired her to move to a quieter neighborhood, Prospect Height, in Brooklyn.  

Some of her reasons for moving were, “Mainly, it’s for the sense of independence, but I also wanted to cook my own food and experience different parts of the city.” This is so true! Getting to know your neighborhood is a great way to learn New York. She continues, “Pace is different from many colleges because we live in a huge city and not an isolated campus, so the differences between living on campus and off are smaller than most. However, roommate relationships change drastically between these two living situations because many students learn a new meaning of caring for themselves and their space.” Living with roommates on campus is a lot different than off-campus. You have a whole new space to make your own! 

Holland shared sentiments similar to Catterson’s about finding an apartment in NYC. She mentions, “It can be pretty tough because the process is so fast-paced; you have to swipe or be swiped. I hopped on a sublease for my first apartment, so all I had to do was get approved, provide my documents, and sign the lease.” This is a great option if you want to try off-campus living for a semester to see if it is for you. It is a simpler process and less stressful. To sublease, you can look on Facebook and join a subleasing group!  

Emma continued, “When I had to find an apartment the regular way, it was not as simple. Most people use StreetEasy; it makes finding what you’re looking for easier, but applying can be annoying. When applying, you, your parents, your roommates, and your roommate’s parents must be on top of the document process. Or the apartment will be given away to someone else.” She brings up a good point: living off campus may allow you to be more independent, but it can also be more complicated! Holland finished, “It’s something I’m glad I did because I learned so much in the process, and it’s all worth it when you get your keys!” 

Last but not least, I spoke with Agathe Burdi, a senior psychology major with minors in neuroscience, history, sociology, and anthropology who lived on a non-honors floor in John Street. “I feel like people try to say John Street is terrible, but I liked it! The only thing I didn’t love was that there were no views, so it was mostly pretty dark.” This was one reason Burdi wanted her space to have a window and natural light. “Something that bugged me was people not knowing how to do their laundry, but that’s just living with others.” Burdi mentions that living with people is hard. It will never be perfect because we are all different and changing human beings! So whether you are living on or off, it is something that everyone resonates with.   

When I asked her why she moved off campus, she replied, “I like having my own space, and I was ready to be an adult and take the next step. I moved to 14th Street, and I love it.” She appreciates the maturity of living off campus, “It’s further from school, but I don’t mind commuting; you feel more mature because you have to do more adult things.”  

I asked her if she had any advice on apartment hunting in the city. She offered that it’s nice if you are a mix of types A and B: “Be quick and prepare all your papers, finances, and anything else before you even start visiting. I found my apartment in two weeks. The month before visiting, my roommates and I looked at different apartments in locations we wanted, the pros and cons of specific amenities, and on the same page for budget. Schedule tours as soon as you love an apartment.”  

She described her horror story of working with a broker and offered this advice: “Some people try to take advantage of you or make you feel stupid. Stand on business! If you know what you want, then you own it. I recommend saying you’ve lived in NYC for a few years, so they know you can’t be taken advantage of.” This is something I never thought of, but it is extremely helpful. 

This was all great information when thinking about venturing outside of on-campus housing! I have heard great things about each Pace dorm and people living off-campus in different neighborhoods in NYC. The moral of the story is to do whatever you believe yourself ready to be for! There is no need to rush, but for those ready to take another step into their adult lives, I hope you found this helpful and that it relieved some of your stress. You got this!