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30 days of transformation starts tomorrow.

Tomorrow is November which means it's the start of my 30 day transformation. I decided to lay out the basics of my goals and schedule so if anyone wants to follow along they can.

FITNESS

My goal is not to lose 100 lbs in a month or become model skinny. My goal is simply to create a routine of exercise. I think that having a small and achievable goal is better than an outrageous impossible one. I want to workout everyday even if it's only for 10 minutes. That's better than I'm doing right now.

• Eat healthier
• Smaller portions of food
• Healthy snack throughout the day
• WATER!

• Every morning and night:
• 10-50 pushups 
• 30-60 second plank
• 20-100 squats
• 20-100 lunges
• 3 ab blasters
• 100 jumping jacks
• 3x30 second glute bridge
• stretch
• Every other day:
• 20+ minutes of cardio
• Running
• Biking
• Stairs
• Jump Rope
• Swimming

BEAUTY

I have a few goals within beauty. 

1. Whiter and stronger teeth
• Brushing teeth as usual, twice a day
• Flossing every night
• Mouthwash every morning
• Peroxide and Baking Soda cleanse once per week
2. Less acne and clear skin
• Wash face as soon as I get off work.
• Washing face twice per day with non-drying soap
• Using lotion and acne medicine twice per day
• Not switching products as often
3. Wearing less makeup and less foundation
• Use same brand when I do wear makeup
• Lighter coverage (not as heavy makeup)
• Use only mascara when possible, only do makeup for work

SCHOOL

Higher grades, staying ahead of my homework and studying a week in advance for all my tests and quizzes. Planning school once I move and start working on a plan.

• Every night I need to do at least 1 hour of homework. Studying, reading, assignments, writing, podcasts, SOMETHING
• Start studying for a test 1 week before the test. 
• Use notes
• Flashcards
• Practice Tests
• Quizzes
• Write all assignments in my calendar and make an alert on Wunderlist to remember.

FINANCES

I am planning on moving in Spring which means I need to finish paying off my car, save money for a deposit and rent (3 months of rent in case of emergency), money for making the move (gas, boxes, tape) and save money for birthday and christmas gifts. 

• Create a strict budget and stick to it. 
• Buy coffee only once per week
• No more shopping. If I need new clothes I need to sell my old clothes before buying more.
• Save money by using coupons, deals and reward cards
• Use cash only to help keep track of how much I've spent. 
• Save all change in piggy bank and at the end of the month add it up and put into savings for the move.
• Improve my new website so that I can start making a little extra income from the products and services. 
• Sell old, unused stuff on ebay or old clothes at Plato's Closet.
• Finish paying off my car this month, at the latest by December 15th.
• Save tips for gas money and put the rest in savings for the move.
• Declutter room and have a garage sale for the things I no longer use. 

I hope you'll challenge yourself and be apart of the 30 day transformation challenge. You have 30 days of hard work to set a healthy and productive routine for yourself. Create some goals, make a plan and stick to it for 30 days. 

Good luck!

Two Jobs and College

I was going to write a blog post about the challenges of working two part-time jobs while being a full-time student, but then I noticed something. I always thought that working through high school and college was fairly common. I worked at a fast food restaurant through high school, did an internship over the summer and now I work two jobs, one at a sandwich place and another as a bookkeeper for my cousin's fulfillment business. It wasn't until this year, however, that I really started to realize I was not the average student. Most, if not all my friends and classmates who are the same age as me do not currently work, and did not work through high school. Keep in mind, I am not counting babysitting or mowing lawns, etc.

I am always shocked to talk to someone my age who has never held a real job. I think it's important to work while you're in school. Even if it's at a small fast food restaurant, you learn customer service, working with others, filling out taxes for work, and other skills that you might not be able to learn otherwise. Our culture is so competitive, when you apply for a job you are being judged on your experience, college, grades, sports. To be a well-rounded person you have to try other things beside school. I can understand not working if you play a college sport, are a member of clubs, and you simply don't have time, but most people are not that busy.

Working through school is important to help you find jobs later on. Get experience while you have the time and enjoy the extra money. Save up for a car, or spend it on food and shopping. The important thing is to get the experience that can help you later while you have the time and opportunities.

I feel like I'm really tired and maybe wearing myself out by working so much, but the other day I wrote all my hours I take to get things done and I realized how much time I actually have. 

Let me break down my week for you.

There are 168 hours in a week.

• 8 hours for sleeping at night (56 hours a week)
• 3 hours to eat (21 hours a week)
• 2 hours to relax, hangout or nap (14 hours a week)
• I also have a bit of a commute to both work and school so I'll give myself 10 hours of driving a week.

So in reality I have around 67 hours a week where I am not sleeping, eating, or relaxing.

• I do school work Sunday-Wednesday. With 12 credit hours of class that's around 15 hours per week
• I work at my cousin's business Thursday-Friday for 12 hours per week
• I work at the sandwich shop for around 15 hours a week
• I workout everyday for 1 hour, that's 7 hours a week

This still leaves me with 18 hours, that's 2.5 hours a day to do extra work, watch TV, walk my dog, do chores around the house, hangout with friends, visit my boyfriend, and of course Sunday football.
When I split my time up like this I realize how often I waste my time, with Facebook, twitter, watching crappy TV shows.

My advice if you ever feel overwhelmed is to sit down and add all your time like I did. Cut out all that junk that wastes your days and you'll feel much more relaxed.

50 Things You Should Know in/before College

College can be the most fun time in your life. Enjoy it, live it up and do things to better your life down the road. Here are 50 things you should learn or know before you start college.

1. There is no substitute for hard work. A lazy work ethic won't get you far.
2. This is the best time to make mistakes. It's okay to make them. This is your chance to learn from all those bad experiences.
3. Being obsessed over a huge network won't help you if you don't develop the relationships.
4. Experience is usually worth more than your degree, don't graduate without having a couple jobs on your resume.
5. Make time to read things other than your textbook. 
6. Pick a degree you love, not the one that will make the most money.
7. Right now is the prime time to get in the best shape of your life. Make use of the free gym on campus and make it a habit.
8. You can never take too many pictures. You'll be happy to have them later.
9. Don't expect to find true love, it's usually lust. But don't rule out the possibility either.
10. If you have to choose being doing your homework or going to class, always go to class. The tests are worth more than any assignment.
    
    
11. Sit near the front of your classes. It will keep you more focused, you'll be less likely to go on Facebook or twitter, and your professor will recognize you. All of these lead to higher grades.
12. If the campus is offering anything free (food, goodies, information) take it. They want to help you and, hey, it's free.
13. College is one of few places where you can be crazy smart and act like a total idiot while drunk and no one will judge you. Enjoy it now.
14. If you don't want to drink, don't. Sometimes it can be more entertaining to watch everyone else be drunk. There's nothing wrong with saying no.
15. College is like all the movies. You can make it however you want it. Want to party every night? Go ahead. Want to sit in your dorm studying everyday? Go ahead. 
16. Remember that you are paying hundreds of dollars for your classes, don't waste your time or money by failing them. Go to class.
17. Your dorm is about 50% smaller than you think it will be. Plan accordingly.
18. Coupons will become gold. Get better at finding and using them, it can save you thousands over your college years.
19. Learn how to cook everything in a microwave. It's probably the only thing in your dorm, and the only thing you'll have time for.
20. Listening to classical music while doing your homework will help you focus and get it done. It's not science... but it probably is.
    
21. Don't make study groups with your friends, it will turn into just hanging out with friends. Bad idea.
22. There are always people on campus trying to sign you up for credit cards, stay away from them.
23. Don't believe everything you hear politically and religious-wise on campus. Be open to new ideas but do research for yourself too.
24. Go to as many sporting events as you can. They are 500 times more fun when you are an actual student.
25. Don't burn any bridges, a lot can happen in 4 years.
26. Celebrate birthdays with pranks, cupcakes and confetti
27. Prank your friends. Weekly. It's fun, keeps away stress and helps creativity, but mostly just fun.
28. Be yourself. You'll find people exactly like you and they won't judge you for all your weirdness.
29. Smile. You are in the prime of your life and there is no reason not to be happy.
    
    
    
    
30. Except on finals week. It's totally acceptable to sleep in strange places, wear odd clothes and look like you are hungover from 3 days of drinking during finals week. Everyone else will be doing it too.
31. Anyone who looks perfect everyday is obviously a robot. Don't feel like you need to impress everyone.
32. At the same time, looking nice and perfect every once in awhile can help your mood, don't wear sweats every day of the year.
33. Do some weird stuff. Public pranks, taking pictures with strangers or wearing a banana suit to class, just do it. People will laugh and it will make your day that much better.
    
34. Put your alarm far from your bed. Just having to stand up to turn it off will help you stop hitting that snooze.
35. Talk to new people. Ask them their major, year and where they are originally from. Everyone has a story to tell.
36. It's completely okay to have no idea what you want to do with your life. But try to figure it out by Junior year, it'll save you time later on.
37. Buy a planner and use it. You WILL NOT remember all your assignments. 
38. Act like a basic college kid. Use instagram, hashtags, take selfies, wear uggs and tweet daily. Do it now before it gets weird.
39. Use protection, STD's are real and the last thing you want is a baby with the hookup from Friday's party.
    
    
    
    
    
40. The freshman 15 is totally real, especially if you drink your calories. Try to eat healthy and drink lots of water.
41. Not everyone needs to know your business. Keeping your life story quiet can make you more mysterious. 
42. Use shower shoes. No matter how often they clean the bathrooms, it's nasty. Trust me.
43. Don't walk around alone, especially for girls at night. Bad things do happen, but rarely when you stay with a couple of other friends. 
44. Learn self-defense. Being able to get away could save your life or you from a horrible experience. One RA in our building gave everyone pepper spray to keep on their key ring. Better safe than sorry.
45. Trust your gut. It's usually right. 
46. Back up your files. It can save you a ton of work later on. I use dropbox.
47. Unless you have a brand new, never washed red shirt, you can wash whites and colors together. Everyone else will probably be doing it too.
48. Register for classes as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than not being able to take the class you need because it filled up.
49. Explore your campus and the city it's in. When you need to find an office you won't have to ask where it is.
50. Create a blog, personal website or keep a journal. Keep track of your resume, experiences and wild nights. You'll be happy you did later down the road.

Feel free to comment with more ideas and tips below!

50 Ways To Improve Your Life

1. When your alarm goes off in the morning, sit up right away and turn a light on. By waking up immediately instead of laying in bed for a few moments your body will wake up more fully. This will help you feel more awake and alert during the day.
2. Caffeine is good for your body in small amounts, it can help speed up your metabolism and lose weight. Some studies have even shown it can add years to your life. Drinking one cup of coffee in the morning can be good for you, but try to limit yourself to one cup per day. If you're a huge coffee drinker, slowly wing yourself off until you are only drinking one cup.
3. Keep your room clean. Spend an extra 5 minutes in the morning to make your bed, put dirty clothes in the laundry and hang up clean clothes. Just by keeping your room and home less cluttered your stress levels will go down. It's nice coming home after a long day of work or school to a neat home. Spend a weekend organizing your space so that picking up is easy (my blog post series is coming soon about how to organize your house, keep an eye out for that).
4. Workout daily. Go for a 20 minute walk, or a jog in the morning. Do some ab workouts before your shower or while you watch TV. Getting 30 minutes of exercise per day can improve your energy levels, help you lose weight, speed up your metabolism, help you digest food, improve your immune system, help focus and relieve stress, you'll be less prone to injuries, and a ton of other benefits.
5. Read daily. Skip 30 minutes of TV, or listen to a book on tape on your drive to work. Reading everyday can help improve your memory and expand your vocabulary and knowledge. The more you read, the more you will enjoy it. Pick any book, but just read.
6. Write your goals. Every month, week or year write down your goals and set deadlines for them. By knowing what you want to accomplish you create a picture and plan for your future. Make sure the goals are attainable but difficult. You want it to be a challenge but not impossible.
7. Complement someone every single day. Someone at work, the store, in your neighborhood, even online. Every day tell someone something nice. Maybe you like their outfit, house, car, personality, hair, smile, anything. Make it sincere! You can improve someone's entire day by one little sentence and you'll feel good about it too.
8. Keep a journal or blog. Somewhere to write down your goals, ideas, stories or struggles. When you have somewhere to write everything you are thinking it helps to relieve stress and de-clutter your brain. It is nice to have a journal to look at down the road for inspiration, motivation or just for entertainment to see what you were doing.
9. Stretch daily. Stretching everyday will improve flexibility, relieve stress and tension. Just taking 5 minutes in the morning to stretch can help you wake up and relieve muscle aches.
10. Embrace your flaws. If you hate your nose, or you're too heavy, look in the mirror and accept it. Everyone has parts of themselves that they hate. It's human nature. The things you can't change, accept, and the things you can change, change! You can always improve yourself. If you hate your nose, start a routine to whiten your teeth to distract from that feature. Improve what you can and embrace your uniqueness.
11. Stop procrastinating. For one week, make a list of all the things you don't want to do and do them. All of them, before anything else. Write that essay that you know is due on Monday, get it done and then cross it off the list. By the end of the week you will only have to do the things you are looking forward to and your stress will be reduced. Try it, and if you like it, keep it going. 
12. Set an alarm on your phone every hour for 1 week, every time it goes off, force yourself to smile. Smiling actually releases endorphins that make you happy. By forcing yourself to smile, your outlook can improve. Smile more often, it's contagious.
13. Smile at strangers. Not in a creepy way, but as you pass someone on the street and make eye contact, smile at them. Be friendly to everyone.
14. Don't be THAT guy. When you go to a restaurant, a movie or a business, be kind and friendly to the people who work there. We all have bad days and we all have hard things in our lives. That waiter who got your order wrong didn't do it on purpose, he probably was at school all morning and is now at the end of an 8 hour shift. Give people a break. Being rude isn't going to fix anything.
15. Let go of regrets. Don't let your past choices interfere with your life today. Unless you can change something for the better, let it go.
16. Say sorry first. Sorry doesn't mean you were wrong, it means you value the relationship more than your pride. Don't let little things get under your skin. If a problem comes up, ask yourself if 1 year from now, will it matter? If it won't, let it go and don't let it hold you back.
17. Make time for a hobby. If you enjoy fishing, schedule a date and time to go, and treat it like a doctor appointment. YOU HAVE TO GO. Don't let other plans come before it.
18. Create a list of things you want to do and do one everyday until the list is done. An example would be that you want to organize your home. Day one, de-clutter your bathroom and clean it. Day two, organize your desk area. By breaking a big task down into small daily tasks you will get it done over time and you will feel satisfied crossing an item off your to-do list.
19. Everyday fix something. If that light bulb is burnt out and needs to be changed, don't put it off, fix it. The next day fix the leaking sink. Everyday improve on something you've been tolerating. 
20. For one week, don't complain. Not once. Don't mention the crappy weather, the traffic, the person you can't stand. One week of being positive. If you like how you feel at the end of the week, try to keep it going.
21. Create a budget. Keeping your money organized can help you track your spending and save money. For help starting out, check out my last blog post here.
22. When you go shopping and you see something you want, write it down on a list or in a notebook. Don't buy that item until the next week. Giving yourself time to think and reflect about what you want can help you save money. The chair that seemed so amazing at the store, may not have a place in your house, or maybe it won't match your decor, or maybe you have another chair just like it. Do this for everything you don't "need" (like food, gas, paying bills).
23. Limit your time devoted to unnecessary things. Only watch one TV show per day, only 20 minutes of video games or 30 minutes on social media. Use the extra time to read, clean, workout, or work on your hobby.
24. Use that journal I talked about above and plan out your next day every night. Before you go to bed, write down your schedule and things you need to get done. An example of mine would be:
• 6am- wake up
• 7am- leave for school
• 8am- get economics homework done in the library
• 10am- go to class
• 12pm- drive home
• 1pm- eat lunch, go on social media
• 2pm- write a blog post/make youtube video
• 3pm- clean room and bathroom
• 4pm- go for a run
• 5pm- make dinner and eat while watching TV show with the fam
• 7pm- shower and get into PJ's, brush teeth and wash face
• 8pm- stretch and read
• 9pm- make plan for next day, write goals, pick clothes for tomorrow, pack lunch
• 10pm- go to sleep
25. Bring a water bottle everywhere with you. Drink it every time your alarm goes off to smile :) Drink at least 60 ounces a day.
26. Cut out one unhealthy meal or food from your diet every month/week. Examples: Fast food, soda, fries, candy, cake, frozen meals. Taking small steps will help you eat healthier and lose weight.
27. Eat small healthy snacks and meals throughout the day. Eat a large breakfast, small snack, medium lunch, small snack, small dinner, and a small snack (at least 2 hours before bed). Doing this will improve your energy, metabolism, and overall health. 
28. Plan your dinners on the weekend, go shopping for all the supplies you need, then avoid going to the grocery store throughout the week. Planning your meals ahead of time will help you eat healthier, eat out less and save you money. 
29. Make a list of food ideas. Create a "healthy snack list", a breakfast list, lunch, dinner. Having a quick go-to idea list will help you plan more meals and eat out less. I will be posting some of these lists on my blog in the next week or so, keep an eye out for that!
30. Everyday, tell your significant other something nice. Even a simple "I love you" can help improve your relationship and show them you care. Tell your wife/gf that she is beautiful. Tell your husband you love his tie. Give them a compliment and show them you care.
31. Get in contact with an old friend, or make a new friend. Talk to your neighbor who just moved in, or ask your high school buddy how work is going. Reach out to others and expand your network and relationships.
32. Stay informed. Listen to the news on the way to work, read the newspaper in the mornings, or check new blogs every day. You are apart of the world and your community, make it a point to know what's going on in the world. Doing this can help you have conversations with people, become more aware of others, and help you expand your knowledge.
33. Eat slower. Taking time to chew your food well can improve metabolism (the more you chew your food, the quicker it can be broken down), help you realize when you are actually full, help your digestive system and help you enjoy your food.
34. Don't try to multitask. When you have things to do, decide what is most important and devote your full attention to that task until it is complete. Contrary to popular belief, the human brain cannot focus on multiple things at once, and you will be more productive if you don't try to divide your attention.
35. Clean out your closet. I've started a method I love, turn every hanger backwards in your closet. When you wear something turn the hanger around. At the end of the year, 6 months, whatever period you choose, give away, sell or donate all the clothes that you haven't worn (the hangers will still be backwards). Use any money you make to buy things you'll wear more often.
36. Clean your smile. Make it a routine to brush in the mornings, then at night; floss, brush and use mouthwash. Improving the health of your teeth will save you money at the dentist, improve your looks, and it can keep you healthy by avoiding throat infections or canker sores.
37. Take time to mediate at night. You don't have to be religious. Take time to think about your day and reflect on what's going on. Think about what you're thankful for and what you want to change. And if you are religious, use this time to pray, and read the Bible, Koran, Torah (or whatever floats your religious boat).
38. Say "Thank You" more. When someone compliments you, brings you your food, gives you coffee, helps you. Be genuine and recognize that person for their help or job well-done.
39. Volunteer. Help out in your local community, and do something for others without expecting anything in return. It can be small, like volunteering at a race to give out waters as people finish, or you can go weekly to a animal shelter. Just give some time back to others.
40. De-clutter. Throw away things in your house that you are saving for no reason. Those old birthday cards, or your notebooks from high-school. Unless you are saving them for a project you will be completing in the next month, toss them. For the things worth money, have a garage sale. All those kids clothes in the crawl space that you'll never use, sell them for some extra cash!
41. Set your watch and alarm clock five minutes early. Being late is embarrassing and sometimes rude, setting your clock a little later will help you stay on schedule and make it out the door in time.
42. It's okay to go to bed angry! Rather then staying up all night arguing with your significant other, go to sleep. You'll feel better about the situation in the morning and now you are able to think clearly. *Bonus: Fight clean. Don't say anything you could regret later. Calling someone names just because you're mad is unnecessary and hurtful. It's okay to argue, but be fair while you do it. Don't bring up past fights to justify actions.
43. Pay attention. Listen to others, don't think about what you are going to say next, just listen and absorb the information. 
44. Take 5 minute breaks for every hour of work. If you try to just work for 6 hours non-stop it's going to wear you out. Stretch, walk around, get a drink or even just go to use the bathroom.
45. Spend lunch time as you time. Use the time to write in your journal, write goals, people watch or just zone out.
46. Write down what stresses you out. Write a list and put it aside until you have time to look over it. Allowing yourself to worry later can help you focus on the task at hand.
47. When you're really feeling overwhelmed or depressed, get some sun. Go sit outside and just relax for a moment. Make a plan then work through your stress or problems. Don't get stuck inside all day and never get natural sunlight. It's a small thing, but it's important.
48. Create a reward system. Reward yourself for finishing that project at work, or losing 15 pounds, or whatever your goals. Allow yourself some fun.
49. Make a list of things that make you happy and try to do one of those things every single day. It could be watching a movie, reading a book, talking to someone, drinking coffee, walking your dog. Anything, it can be small or big. Just try to do one thing for yourself.
50. Accept the fact that you don't have to impress everyone. A saying that I love is "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches" (Dita Von Teese) The sooner you accept the fact that you can't make everyone like you, the happier you will be.

I hope you read this list all the way through and I hope that you can try some of these ideas. I know I try to do all of them and I have to re-read my list every few weeks to remind myself. I had this list in my journal for a long time before I decided to share it, so I hope that it can help you in some way.

How I Budget My Money | The Envelope Method

Wave Accounting: https://accounting.waveapps.com/

The difference between online and campus classes

Last year I took all in-class courses, this year I have one in-class and three online courses and I was very surprised by the differences. I wanted to compare the two types of classes side by side for anyone who is thinking about an online course.

Pros to an in-class courses:

1. You get to meet people in your class
2. It's easier to form study groups
3. You can take notes as the teacher talks about it
4. The notes are in addition to the book and go over the main topics of the class
5. You can get to know your teacher better
6. It's easier to ask questions when you are confused

Cons to an in-class course:

1. It's easy to blow off reading since you feel like you learned it in class
2. If you don't take good notes on the lecture you could miss important topics
3. If you don't live on campus it can be a long commute to class
4. There are specific times you have to be in class
5. There is often pop-quizzes, attendance grades or clicker points

Pros to an online class:

1. You have the freedom to work on the class whenever works for you
2. No attendance is taken, meaning it's okay to miss a day
3. All the assignments are announced earlier than in a regular class, giving you time to plan and no more pop-quizzes
4. You can teach yourself at your pace
5. Taking tests online means you can use your notes, Google or a friend to help you pass
6. Online classes can be done almost anywhere at any time

Cons to an online class:

1. You need to be very organized since you won't get reminders about when things are due
2. There is a lot more reading necessary to pass because you won't be attending lectures
3. There will be more essays or paper assignments to do since there are no in-class grades or assignments
4. It's hard to make study groups since you haven't actually met the others in your class
5. If something goes wrong with your computer you could miss assignments or tests

I personally love my online classes, I'm glad that I am taking one in-class course just to meet people but the online classes allow me to work during the day and do classes at night, I can use my super OCD-ness to organize myself and stay ahead of assignments, and I enjoy teaching myself how to do the work. Online classes are not for everyone but if you are considering taking online courses I suggest going half-and-half until you decide what works best for you. Hopefully the list helped you decide what the best choice will be for you, I'm sure I'll be writing more about online classes in the future.

9 Tips to remember someone's name

1. When you ask for their name, actually listen. It's simple enough but sometimes we are so occupied with our thoughts that we don't actually hear the person. Focus and remember. 
2. Repeat their name. When they say "Hi, I'm Sally." Reply with "Hi, Sally, I'm Bob."
   Repeating it will help it stick. At the end of the conversation say it again, "It was nice chatting Sally".
3. Sound out their name in your head. The crazier the better, it'll help you remember. Ex. Sal-Lee, Saaaaaal-leeeeeeeeeee, sal-ee
4. Write it down, it may help to see their name in writing and the process of actually writing it out will help you remember.
5. Be confident in yourself. By thinking that you are bad at remembering names you actually believe it. Be confident that you can remember!
6. Study the person's face while thinking of their name. Sally has blonde hair, sally has green eyes, etc.
7. If you need extra help with this, ask for their name twice. Just hearing them say it twice will help it stick. EX. "Hi, I'm Sally." "Sorry, what was that?" "Sally" "Oh sorry Sally, I'm Bob"
8. Remember their name by using tricks. Ex. Sally is Sweet, or Bob is Built
9. If all else fails ask them for their name again. Most people are very understanding and won't be offended by you asking. Just be polite and confident.

8 Tips For Apartment Hunting

1. Do your research before. Make sure the apartment you want to check out has the right number of rooms, bathrooms, parking, pets allowed or not allowed. No use seeing a place unless it's what you need.
2. Be practical. If the apartment you want is 20 miles from work/school and you don't own a car, you probably need to look somewhere else. Don't assume you'll figure it out later. Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Decide on a price and hold yourself to that price. You can always ask the renter to lower the price for you. It's better to ask, you don't want to be paying more than you can afford. Make sure you get a formal price in writing to avoid changes.
4. Save money before the move. When you start looking for a place to live keep in mind that not only do you usually have to pay the first month's rent but there will also be a deposit. Make sure you save three times the amount of rent before you start looking. It'll save your wallet later on.
5. Start looking for furniture and necessities beforehand to help you decide what you can afford. You may think you can pay $900 a month in rent but later realize you don't own a bed, couch, dishes, or bathroom supplies. After all the expenses you pay only be able to afford $650. Keep the price of everything in mind at all times.
6. Always go see the apartment before deciding. Your new place may look great in the pictures, but in real life that carpet is falling apart, the ceiling fan is broken and the toilet hardly flushes. Always look around before you sign anything!
7. Ask a friend or family member for their opinion. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving into a new place and it may blind your judgement of what is a quality home. It's always good to have a second pair of eye with you when you're searching.
8. Don't settle. There are hundreds of thousands of places out there, don't settle for one you hate. Keep looking and you will find what you are looking for. There is nothing wrong with sticking to your gut.