Once I finally made the commitment to SAIC, I felt much better. I
could focus on figuring out the logistics. That’s the fun part for me. I had
already been scoping out housing before I made the official decision. Campus
housing costs started somewhere around $2500 for six weeks, which seemed
outrageous on my tiny budget, especially since I had bills to pay back home
while I was going to school. I was on a very tight budget of $500/month with
the hopes that someone would pro-rate me for the extra two weeks—a total of
$750 for my six week stay.
I started combing
through craigslist ads for sublets in April. Yes, craigslist. (I know that
seems risky to some people. As an alternative you might try air bnb.) There
were a few sublets that were one bedroom swaps as students went home for the
summer. This seemed like a better option than living in a house with four 22
year olds, even though it would cost a little extra. No offense against 22
years olds! Let me just add that I’m a 30 year old woman who lives a relatively
low key, simple life and appreciates solitude and privacy.
Most of the apartments I found were pretty far south of the loop, but a few were in Pilsen which is very close to the loop, has a pretty hopping art crowd and an amazingly cheap bar called the Skylark. Depending on which part it can be a bit of a walk to a train though.
I had
a few friends in Chicago and asked for their input about where I should look
for apartments. There was a resounding “north” for safety concerns and
affordability. Lincoln Park was really dense with restaurants, shops and lots
to do. Lake View, and Old Town were similarly trendy. Buck Town was slightly
more residential and someone described Wicker Park to me as a hipster town.. Evanston was beautiful but as far north as you could go in
Chicago and still have access to the CTA trains, which was critical since I
wasn’t bringing my car. I found a housing co-op near the purple line for around
$450 run by students from Northwestern U, but didn’t love the idea of living
with 6 other strangers.
 |
| View of Lake Michigan from a Rogers Park beach. |
And then I found the perfect place for me. Rogers Park. It
was just south of Evanston, along the red line, in a diverse and safe family
neighborhood. I got really lucky with a roommate my age in a great apartment
half a block to the beach, across from a park, one long block to the Morse
train, and right in front of the 147 express bus to downtown. It fit my budget
perfectly. There was a coffee shop on the corner, a hipster taco-whisky bar,
and an awesome market off the train stop. It was a little farther of a commute
than I intended, 35 minutes to the loop’s Monroe stop on the train (one short
block to campus), but so worth it for the beach! More about Rogers Park another
time. Note: I always leave my house one
hour before I have to be on campus in case I just miss a train or there are
unexpected delays.
I’m all about location, location, location. I want my home to be
a haven from the craziness of the loop and the insanity of the low res program.
So the beach option helps a ton. I use my art history readings as an excuse to
hang out at the beach on Sunday mornings. I enjoy the quieter neighborhood and
local farmers market. It feels like home. I’m considering Evanston next year,
too, since it can be tricky to find things in Rogers Park. I don’t mind the
train ride because it’s a good way for me to decompress, read, write or plan my
day.
On the other hand, living on campus puts you right in the
middle of it all. Chances are you can spend more time with the other low-res
members who live in the dorms. I feel like I miss out on a certain aspect of
community since I’m not downtown. Next year I'm going to try to organize getting a house with other low res student.
So, for house hunting, my advice is start looking early, know what you want, and do your research.
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