Live alone or have a roomate in law school? Forum

[just a girl]

I'm going to try to live on campus in a single for 1L. My family would prefer I live in the dorms and I like the convenience.

[kevsocko]

i wish my family cared

i have a good friend going to the same school as me, probably, so we might find a place together.

[Tex_Mex13]

I think I am going to live alone. As long as I at least get a dog.

[00TREX00]

...

[greygoose]

i'm with trex, i'd like to chill with a few guys watching the game and grabbing a beer.

regardless, i'm going to have roommates in the fall. although i currently "study" in my room, i'm far more efficient and responsible in the library. having roommates will force me to do a better job "studying".

[brokendowncar]

As long as I have my own bedroom, I don't really care how many people I live with. I think I would hate living alone.

[lawbutterfly11]

i think im gonna live alone, because i like things really quiet for the most part, im picky about certain things, and i have interesting food tastes and i dont want to offend my roommate because of whats in the fridge.. ive had roommates before make many negative comments about my non-mainstream music and food choices, and id rather not have that headache. I dont study well in the library, too many interesting distracting books. my only question is, when is too early to start seriously looking for housing? im panicking about it now (cost, whether or not FinAid is going to cover it all, whether or not il get approved for a private loan if i dont.. gosh.. i think the stress of getting into law school is enough to make one crazy!

[4RE]

I like having people around and would like roommates but my desire to have an isolated place where I can just study trumps this. My own little fortress of solitude.

Xbox Live should suffice when I need some company in a 2 minute pinch for a half hour, I suppose.

[TTT-LS]

.

[brokendowncar]

i think and i have interesting food tastes and i dont want to offend my roommate because of whats in the fridge..

What are you eating that will scare your roommates away?

[joyce615]

I would probably have roommates but I have a cat so that kinda screws things up. I can't live on campus and I'm in an awkward situation right now where my old roommates graduated (we took in the pet together), moved out, and friends moved in but they are very uncool about the cat. Solo it is for me.

[aguyingeorgia]

If you can afford it, LIVE ALONE!

[augustlights]

Damn, I guess I'd better be prepared for antisocial careerists like all of you when I start meeting my 1L classmates next year. Living with random individuals can have its drawbacks, I agree, but I would assume that the majority of law students are going to be, to varying degrees, dedicated to studying a lot and thus won't be keeping you up with too many 4AM Wednesday drinking sessions. That said, I enjoy having someone in the house to watch the game/have a beer, and I strongly doubt that its going to affect my 1L grades one way or the other.

You clearly have never lived with an insane roommate that you sort of knew and seemed normal....

I'm on insane roomie strike 3 and fully plan on living alone 1L. I'm not leaving my grades up to the roomie lottery.

That said, I do have a dog already and would love to live with people for 2L/3L.

[brokendowncar]

I have had 8 roommates in my four years of college, and only one was annoying (but still bearable). I really can't imagine having the trouble you all claim to have run into. What are these people doing that is so awful?

[commodorebruin]

I had a roommate 1L year...and I swear I was probably CLINICALLY depressed that year which didn't help my grades. I went solo after that and my grades SHOT through the roof. I'm not a roomie person though. I was solo all through undergrad so I should've known better.

I went to UCLA and you can TOTALLY find a 1 br for less than 1300 in L.A. I live in Beverlywood now (nice area) and I don't pay that much AND its a lovely place. You have to be willing to look and not just settle in the typical places (Westwood, Brentwood, Santa Monica). It takes me 20 min to get to UCLA from here.

Anywho...this question is going to come down to whether you are a roomie person or not and whether you study at home or not. I NEVER went to the library (preferred home study) and I had NEVER lived with someone before (plus my roomie was crazy) so...it was ALL BAD for me. It very well may work out for you though.

[bobjr]

So the consensus seems to be "alone"-- but what if you live in a suite, might it be decent to have a "suitemate"?

[egrubs]

Roommate. I'll be on campus every weekday from 8am until 6pm (or more). I'll want every possible distraction imaginable (and excuse to get out) when I'm not studying.

[lawbutterfly11]

i think and i have interesting food tastes and i dont want to offend my roommate because of whats in the fridge..

What are you eating that will scare your roommates away?

i knew this question would come up

sushi, curry, stir fried noodles, different types of fishies.. and probably the occasional dim sum leftover, plus my bean sprouts and veggies...

not wholly unusual food.. but i dont want to take my chances of people being wierded out by my pickled ginger and kim chee..

[ALilMusicFactry]

I would assume that the majority of law students are going to be, to varying degrees, dedicated to studying a lot and thus won't be keeping you up with too many 4AM Wednesday drinking sessions.

Lol. Think again. And I live alone.

[SouVitor]

Alone, alone, alone as long as I can afford it. I've had so many roommates and I've only gotten along with one. The rest have been pretty hellish roommate situations and with all the $$ I'll be spending in my education for three years, I'd better have some mental peace once I get home. Let just hope the city I end up at is affordable enough to rent a 1 br.

[BondGirl]

A room mate isn't that bad as long as they aren't a party animal AND you share a two br where you each get your own room. I would definitely stay away from living on campus though...sounds like a waste of money for a tiny room, and you really aren't going to get any quiet in a dorm. Maybe unless you go to LS in NYC or something. I'd stay with a room mate IF you get your own room and you meet them first, or get a studio/1br.

[The Agitator]

I have loved living with roommates in the past and am not looking forward to living alone. However, none of my roommates have been strangers, which is what my 1L roommate would most likely be. So, alone 1L if I can afford it, and hopefully move in with some cool people thereafter.

[augustlights]

I have liked my roommates in the past...just NONE of them have been conducive to hardcore studying. They'll all been loud/messy/odd hours... It wasn't much of a problem in undergrad bc I lived 20 ft. from the 24/7 library.

I'm going to miss not having someone when I come home to, but for 1L...I'm gonna need my zone.

[Corsair]

..

[brokendowncar]

A friend of mine who just graduated from law school told me that I should do the same. His quote was, "It isn't undergrad, don't try to live like it. That debt won't matter when you have a biglaw salary."

He runs an internet company that earns him probably twice what his law salary (makes market in a medium/large market) does though. I think he might be biased.