Just Make it to the Kitchen...

I was having a conversation with Chrispy last night before heading out to Grad Ball (I was heading out, he wasn't, in case you had any doubts in your mind) about living situations in the real world last night. Neither of us are quite in a position to consider living out in the big, scary world quite yet, so everything was purely speculative.

WHO:
Over these three years of school, I realize that I would seriously not be able to live by myself for any length of time in the conceivable future. And nothing against my parents, but I also can't quite see me moving back in with them for too long after school for more than a few reasons. So I feel like I'd have to live with some friends. I'm not willing to leave my living situation up to chance and hope that the random people I would choose/would choose me to live with are tolerable, so I think it would have to be people I who I already know and know how they live.

WHAT:
I've probably been spoiled by the UMW Apartments. As much as we might complain about the university and res life, these are nice apartments. In realizing that, I could take a few steps down in terms of quality of apartments. I want my own room and a decent kitchen. It doesn't have to be pretty, but I want something that isn't grungy, moldy, or filled with pests. A three bedroom, two bathroom apartment seems great. A balcony would also be nice. But otherwise, I know I've lived in worse situations in the past few years, so I'm not incredibly picky.

WHERE:
Ideally, it would be within twenty minutes of Fort Belvoir, where I'm set up to start working (provided everything goes smoothly) when I'm out of school. I've already lived in Alexandria most of my life, so I don't need to keep living there (plus, it can be pretty pricey), and I really hate getting around in the urban sprawl that is Woodbridge. The Lorton/Burke/Springfield area seems pretty desirable, and big enough that there's places that aren't completely built up and perpetually congested.

WHEN:
In almost exactly a year is when I'll be graduating, so after then would be my time.

HOW (much):
Theoretically, if I were working continually and not in school right now, with what my current job is paying, I could get a pretty decent place with some friends right now. Just from fifteen minutes of looking online, there seems to be a sizable number of places available in the right areas for a good value, and split three ways it would seem reasonable. [I had what I thought would be a good value in there, but realized my good value might be a bit skewed]

But this is all still just a bit of a "what if?" plan, since the real world is still a year away for me and I know how much situations can change in that length of time. I can still look forward to the idealized vision in my head of swanky apartment life, even if it is merely just a silly dream right now.