“Natalie,
I didn't get housing for next year. Is this a big deal??”
No.
“Dear Natalie,
My roommate is being a total pain in my ass. He's inconsiderate, rude, has people over all the time without asking and leaves any room he enters a mess. It's a disaster zone in here and it's all his crap! I'm living in rez and I'm leaving at the end of April and (thank God) I never have to see him again, but how can I make it to the end without throwing all of his stuff out the window?”
I don't know about you, but when I was in residence, my RAs were weirdly concerned with people putting things out the window. Probably because it was first year and first-years tend to have the type of thought process that ends up with someone scaling the side of Totem. Please don't throw his stuff of the window.
Instead, talk to your RA. There might only be a month or so left with this guy, but you can definitely try to make that month a little easier for yourself. Ask your RA if they can be there during a house meeting. Don't feel weird about including them — this is what they get paid for.
If you've talked to him and brought your RA in on the drama, then it's time to just suck it up. I know it sucks and I know you think you should get a petty revenge story from all of this, but that's not going to help anyone.
You have a month left. Just a few weeks. You can power through this. Ignore him and his messes. Clean the messes you make and don't make a big deal when he's rolling around in his own dirt. Just get through this month and you can move in with someone who actually minds the state of their home.
“Dear Natalie,
I moved into this old house at the beginning of the year, but now we're noticing weird stuff happening. Things are moving without us touching them, chills on the back of our necks, lights flickering. It's starting to creep my out...”
Congrats on your new ghost. Or you know, an old house with drafts.
But in all seriousness, who you gonna call?
“Natalie,
I'm a first-year who didn't get on-campus housing next year. I found some friends to live with, but I'm worried about some things. I feel like I'm not ready to adult yet — how do I even adult?”
Congratulations! You're making the first step in becoming an adult! You thought it was living on your own for the first time, but face it, first-year residence is pretty much summer camp with booze. You don't have to clean, cook or get cheques or do anything, but move in and pay once a term.
Actually living on your own — now that's an adventure. If you play your cards right, it's amazingly fun.
You can cook your own food, pick your own roommates and have a bed that's bigger than tiny. You can live near the beach, downtown, parks, hiking trails, shopping malls — anything. Vancouver is now yours to play with.
First off, find a place to live. Make sure you see the place before you give them any money. Chances are there will be others looking at the house or apartment too — thank you Vancouver housing market — so if you all agree, move as fast as you can. At the same time, don't feel pressured into getting a place you don't really like because your friends are worried about not getting a place. Make sure you're comfortable.
And then there is a bunch of little things. Find out if you need or want renter's insurance. I have it, my roommates don't. It's up to you. How will you pay rent? Is it furnished? Do you have access to a car to move your stuff? How often can you have people over? How early is is too early to use the vacuum? Will there be quiet hours? Actual Mario parties?
It may seem like a bunch of little things that make a big pile of anxiety, but it's really just small things that can be figured out in one house meeting. Your RA is now your landlord and you have less drunk people who can't figure out what room they're supposed to be sleeping in.
On that note, check to see if your new door has a lock.
Deep breath, it's less scary than you think.
Need advice? Contact Natalie anonymously at asknatalie@ubyssey.ca and have your questions answered in an upcoming issue.