Where to live?

Most likely for the past four years you have been living in whatever city your undergraduate college was located in. You've probably lived primarily in the dorms or apartments with multiple roommates. In the coming months before you enter into veterinary school you are probably going to need to find a new place to live with new people in a new city. This can seem like a daunting task and it definitely is, but as long as you start planning early and plan smart then  you will find the perfect place to live.

There are four primary housing options for a student in your position. You can live in the graduate/professional student dorms on campus, rent an apartment, rent a house, or buy a home. When determining which option is right for you a lot of different factors need to be taken into consideration. The following are some of the main questions to ask yourself.

- Do you want to live alone or with roommates?
- What is your monthly budget for rent/mortgage?
- How far away from campus do you want to be?
- What quality of housing are you accustomed to or need?
- Do you have pets?

I have personally spent the last four years with at least three to five other roommates living in dorms/apartments and therefore I absolutely do not want to live with anyone else besides my soon to be husband. My situation is a little bit on the unique side because I will be going into veterinary school with a significant other and we plan on buying a home because we have the funds and overall it is much cheaper than renting.

I highly recommend looking at this option, especially in the Lansing area, if you have means (funds and a partner that you can share the responsibility and work with) because you can get a pretty nice house for relatively cheap. Generally buying a house can save you a lot of money over renting because a house is like an investment. However, there are a lot of hidden fees, work, and unexpected costs.

If you are in debt and on your own then it would probably be smarter to use your money for renting. When renting, the problems that you encounter (leaky roof, broken heater....etc) is going to be the responsibility of the landlord. There is going to take a lot of stress off of you. Renting is also great because it provides you with a community, many places come with amenities (pool, fitness center, covered parking...etc).

As most of you probably have pets as aspiring veterinarians, it can make the process much more difficult and a little bit more expensive. Some places don't allow pets (or certain breeds/sizes) and almost all apartments/houses require a pet deposit and monthly fee.

My biggest advice is to start your search early, do a lot of research, know what you want, and know who you want to live with. Veterinary school is going to be stressful enough without you having to worry about your living situation or terrible roommates. A quick tip is that in many cases you can find good housing or even houses for sale from veterinary students at the college you are attending through facebook or other means of communication. As students are graduating, there are going to be rooms opening up each year. Before you jump into a new group of roommates, make sure to visit the location first and get to know the other people before you commit! Good luck!!!