Tip #1: Start Looking Early

“Everything will work out” are the four words that I wish I could give to my past self when I first began my post-secondary education at Queen’s. 

When I came to Queen’s University, the housing process seemed to work out okay! I decided to move in with a few girls I knew from high school which was a big help (especially during COVID-19 when I wasn’t really meeting new people). I thought this would be a great opportunity as I already knew them so well, that we were on the same page and would get along! Over time, we only grew closer as friends and were able to succeed in being on the same page for a lease and house.

Welcome back Queen’s University students!

Moving into your off-campus property this fall and getting your school year started is an exciting time. With so much going on, it can be easy to forget the best practices to protect yourself and ensure a smooth move in. So what do you need to do?

I went to a rural high school, and I had never heard of Queen’s until September of Grade 12. My dad and I went on six campus tours within five days, and I fell in love with the Queen’s campus. The fact that it’s entirely self-contained, walkable, and easy to navigate was reassuring — I didn’t want to commute around a city to get to class.

Navigating living off-campus was daunting at first, even without factoring in moving countries and the height of the pandemic. Moving from the comforts of my 4 walls at Watts and over-reliance on TAMs left me with a lot of questions: Who would I live with? Where would we stay? What even is the average rent in a place like Kingston?

In my second year at Queens, I rented a house with a group of 4 second-year Queens’ girls. My advice for that would be to start looking early for a place to live. For example, start in October, which is well before final exams so that by late December you could have been to several house/apartment viewings and could have a better sense of what you want and what you can afford.

All Queen's University students are welcome to come to this free event! Meet with local property management companies and landlords, Off-Campus Living Advisors, AMS Housing Resource Centre, and other resources. Are you looking to meet other students looking for housemates? This could also be your chance to connect with other students and learn about upcoming Housemate Socials hosted by the OCLA Student Support Team.

Where do you start?