Step 1: Preparing for the Future

In this Activity, you'll complete simulation designed to introduce you to some of the things you'll need to keep in mind when hunting for an apartment. Then, based on your future plans, housing preferences, and experiences in the sim, you'll conduct a mock housing search for yourself.

Step 2: Knowledge Matters: Simulation

Complete the Knowledge Matters simulation: https://vbcourse.knowledgematters.com/edl/lesson/apartment

Once you've completed the simulation, think for a bit about how you envision your life when you will be first living on your own and renting a place. This could be immediately after high school, sometime after living in college dorms, or even more distantly in the future. Where do you see yourself working and/or studying? Use those specific addresses to center your own apartment search later in this Activity. For example, if you think you will live in a dorm while studying computer engineering, then going on to work for a big tech company, you'd probably consider living in Seattle, Redmond, or San Francisco.

Step 3: What Are YOUR Priorities?

In the sim, you took on the role of a student with a prescribed budget, access to bus and car transport, and a specific schedule. However, it's quite likely that you have different needs and goals! Before you pick an apartment in the real world, it's important to think about what is most important to you when choosing an apartment. In a word processing document, make a list of housing priorities, considering things like:

• Overall costs/budget sensitivity.
• Transportation preferenceswalking, public transportation, ride shares, biking, a personal automobile, etc. Keep in mind that some of the options require extra consideration, such as a place to park a car or securely store a bike.
• Living alone versus living with roommates.
• Feeling secure in your housing.
• Pet-friendliness.
• Hobby considerations (for example, competitive gamers probably want to live in an area with high-speed internet, while a nature lover might want to live near a park).
• Weather and related considerations (not all apartments have air conditioning).
• Other location concerns (needing to live near a relative, e.g.).

Then, write prospective schedule for yourself when you do move into an apartment. Will you need to balance school and work? How much sleep do you need to feel well-rested? Do you need to schedule time for cooking, or do you plan to live off of pre-prepared meals? Create schedule for a typical weekday like you saw in the sim.

Step 4: Finding an Apartment

Now that you've got your priorities in order and know your schedule, it's time to find a place to live! Based on the area you plan to live and work/study in, search for living arrangements that will meet your needs. While in the sim you were restricted to apartments, feel free to look at other rental options. You can use sites like Craigslist, rent.com, apartments.com, or websites that cater to specific locations in your search.

Just like for the sim, start with the cheapest apartment that allows you to meet your schedule and note the price and location. Then, find an apartment that meets your holistic needs (as determined by your personal list) and note its final price and location.

Finally, write paragraph of reflection about the experience. Your reflection should include things like:

• What you learned from the sim.
• What it was like creating a priority list.
• If you were surprised by the difference in price between the bare-minimum acceptable apartment and the living arrangements that you would prefer.
• If this Activity changed how you will think about apartment hunting in the future.
• Your feelings about the Activity overallwas it stressful? Exciting? Inspiring? Dispiriting?

Step 5: What to Submit

Your submission for this Activity is a word document containing:

• Your list of priorities for apartment hunting.
• Your weekday schedule.
• Information on the cheapest and ideal apartments for your hypothetical future.
• A paragraph of reflection on the experience of apartment hunting.