My apartment.

I have lived, over the past three years, in two very student-ish, very typical living arrangements. For junior and senior year of college, I lived in a huge complex of townhomes devoted to students. If you can picture this, it had dirt and filth all over the complex. Parties of all sorts, trash all over the place. Beer being poured down stairwells for hours. I mean, not really, but it's nowhere that anyone who wasn't in college would choose to reside. Theoretically, it would be a cesspool.

Last year I lived in a wonderful house. It was a split level in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood near to my alma mater, it had partied hard in its time, and we inherited it in kind of bad shape. The landlord made several repairs, we kept it up and on point, and it really was the best place I have lived so far. Minus the weird part about the downstairs always being cold. But it could have been too hot all the time...so I will take it. You can always put more clothes on.

Anyways, this year we had trouble finding a house, it was stressful. I think I have somewhat addressed that in here. We settled on an apartment complex which is the most expensive place I have personally ever had to pay for, and also had great hearsay recommendations from several people I knew at work. My roomates know residents as well who seem to love it.

Somehow maybe we got the short end of the stick on this place. We have had every maintenance issue imaginable, bug issues. I found a roach in my bed. I have killed more insects in this one apartment than the two other properties described above, which isn't really what I expected to have to be doing. The maintenance staff is rude and always treats issues like the dishwasher not working as something that is your fault. Because obviously my roomates and I are a bunch of dishwasher and AC saboteurs. It's just kind of ridiculous.

Having worked in customer service in an arena people find aggravating, their bank accounts, I don't understand how these people handle their situations. Banks, houses, and cell phone customer service are probably the hardest and most essential. And car insurance. You have to take a certain degree of care with people, because they are mad, it's always super important, and most likely the customer doesn't always get it like the employee does.

At some point, the people who clean compulsively are not responsible for their bug problem. They probably didn't cause buildup in the dishwasher because of dish soap (really, has anyone else heard of that). I think the horrible thing is that it has gotten to be a situation where I don't want to deal with it anymore. I have had so many bad experiences it's like I just have to give up. Maintenance people come in and shrug their shoulders, I have even gotten attitude from the Orkin man at this complex. You're the Orkin man, you kill insects. As a woman who is age 23 and into clean things, you should understand your job is very important. I want my bugs killed now. What do people pay you for? I don't want an attitude.

I am just kind of fed up. Can't wait to move out of this place eventually. And yes, if any of you can believe it, University Suites was one of the cleanest and most cooperative places I have ever lived. Who ever thought that place would be one of my better experiences.

When adulthood rudely hits you in the face.

I think I am there.

Life lessons - Hire people

This year we were forced to move from a wonderful house (that was sold to a new owner) to an apartment for 3 people. Despite issues with maintenance and insects that had to be resolved in the place, which was highly recommended by several friends, it seems to now be working out okay. I really hated the thought of moving and felt I was entitled to movers, so I hired them. Best life decision. They give you boxes, and they are free. I rode around with them for a few solid days in my car with the seat folded down, but they were free, and mine. As pictured below, they give you tall boxes for all of your hanging clothes. So you don't have to like rip them out of your closet, throw them in a car, have them go errywhere, and then awkwardly make 10 trips to your car from your new place to get all of your things. I also seem to have alot of clothes...
Oh yeah, and movers move things for you. You kind of get everything ready, then you sit and watch as within a matter of 15 minutes they have most of your things in a truck and ready to go. Then the same thing happens when they are unloading. All of a sudden your things are there, and its done.




I think this was the most adult decision I've made next to buying my car and deciding to go back to school. And really when it comes down to it, if you hate doing manual labor as much as I do, get someone to do it for you. You, your family, and the people who you would have forced into helping you will all appreciate it.