Here's What You Should Look For In A Boarding House/Dorm
The world is slowly getting to its old normal after two years of dealing with this pandemic and schools are already opening their doors to its students. The Philippines is one of the countries that have the longest lockdown in the entire world and gladly, it is slowly getting back to normal and continuing with its normal operations.
I have published yesterday that I looked for a boarding house. You can read it here. And I am writing this article to be a guide for the first timers that are planning to board.
Here are some of the key pointers that you should look for a boarding house:
Budget
Location
Water
Internet Connection
Security
Budget
The amount of budget that you have will determine the room that you are going to occupy. Different dorms/boarding houses have different things to offer. Some have complete amenities and some do not.
If you are looking for a room that has a bathroom inside, expect that it will cost much. Most of the rooms that are cheap are the ones that have shared bathrooms. Also, the price of the room also depends on whether you want to occupy it alone or with someone.
Again, it still differs. Some boarding houses have rooms that are for solo occupancy and for sharing. The price of it will depend upon the number of beds.
You're lucky if your monthly bills already cover your rent and for the amenities. Because some boarding houses have different fees for amenities and some have it paid separately.
Location
Check if the boarding house is in a good location. Ask what establishments it is near and if it's just near your school. Also, don't forget to ask if the neighborhood is a safe place to stay in and if it's quiet. You don't want to hear the neighbors' noises while you are reviewing or resting.
The location is also part of your budgeting. It is best if your place is just near the school to lessen your budget in commuting. Remember that you are renting for the reason that you don't want any more hassle and you want to save a lot of time compared to other people that stay in farther places.
Ask if the place is safe when it is raining. You don't want to stay in a place where it gets flooded when it is raining or during typhoons. It is also to ensure that your things are safe when you are away.
Water
Water as we all know is essential for our everyday living. Hence, it is a problem for some people.
Check if the water in the place is readily available at all times. You don't want to go to school with soapy skin. Water in some places runs out specially during rush hours and it is one of the common problems that students face everyday.
This is where the location comes in, the higher the population of the place, the weaker the water will be. But I'm not saying that this happens in all of the places, this just happens in some. I just want you to take note of it so that you are not going to encounter water problems.
Internet Connection
You are away from home and most probably you wouldn't bring a television with you in your dorm room and your main outlet of entertainment would be using your phone or laptop that requires internet connection.
It is best if you find a dorm that has this because in some areas, data signals are too weak to even access messaging apps. You can also have an option of putting up an internet connection and sharing the bill with other occupants.
Again, this is very important especially now that there are just a few subjects that require face-to-face classes and the others are still conducted online.
Security
Is the place safe? Is it gated? You don't want burglars in your place. This is the reality when boarding. You are not guaranteed full security yet you can make sure that you could at least stay in a place where it is safe.
Find a place where it is near establishments or has neighbors, burglars don't enter in most places that are crowded. A few neighbors will also serve as your security. There are also boarding houses that have CCTV cameras throughout the place and some even have a security guard. Security should always be on the top priority.
Final thoughts 💬
These are just the key pointers that I look for in a boarding house. I hope that this will help you find your future place that can be your home away from home. You can also ask other people whether it is a nice place to stay. Do not also forget to ask if the landlord is nice. Hihi.
If you have other things to add, you can comment below. You might help someone just by commenting. Thank you for reading this!
Check out my other blogs:
We considered all of these when we moved in dito sa paupahan, mamsh. Lalo na 'yung budget, water, internet connection and safety. Sabu ko dapat ito 'yung place na di kami pwedeng basta-bastang galawin or masilip ng mga toxic naming relatives, hehe.