By Lexi Masarweh | Staff Writer

Looking for and signing houses and apartments is, to say the least, chaotic and stressful. I am currently a junior, and each year, it has been a rollercoaster. I am here to tell you when to sign and how to avoid some of the stress that comes with it.

First and foremost, make sure that you find roommates who you think will be a good fit to live with. Then, explore your housing options; be sure to look at all of the options, whether that is at the Domain, at Ursa or in a house.

It is OK to look at apartments and houses in January. However, do not give in to the pressure of needing to sign in January. For example, I didn’t sign the lease for my junior year until April.

I would say Ursa is one exception. For a townhouse or apartment, I would recommend signing in January or February, simply because a lot of people want to live at Ursa.

During my freshman year, everyone was saying to sign in January. I was stressed out because after sorority recruitment, I was looking for two other girls to sign with. I thought, “If I don’t sign in January, I am not going to be able to find a place to live.” However, that was not the case.

I signed at U Pointe on Speight in mid-January with three other girls. Now, I realize that I could have waited; I still saw other apartments advertising to sign with them after January.

I was only close with one of my future roommates, and I was hoping I did not rush into a lease with girls who I did not know very well at the time. I also started to question if I had signed at the right place.

I am here to tell you not to listen to the apartments and houses that emphasize that you need to sign in January. Trust me, you have time.