Living Arrangements

Buying a condo has certainly been an interesting process in St. Louis. I consider it a good investment for the future (as someone who hopes to stick around for residency). The keys to success in this process are finding a good realtor, mortgage agents who have your back, and being adaptable to challenges that can come up in the housing market. Be sure to read about TeamSTEPPS for this process (you’ll thank me later). I am always happy to share who I used and provide other general home-seeking advice.

My main motivations for buying in St. Louis (in no particular order): budget constraints (my mortgage is significantly lower than a comparable house would rent for), tired of dealing with not the best landlords, and needing space for my three insane dogs to run around (no way all of us would survive four years in an apartment together). Investing in property is a big step, particularly in a city where you may not have ties, so it’s super important to surround yourself with folks who can guide you and have your best interests in mind. Both my realtor and mortgage broker are phenomenal humans and I would happily recommend them to anyone. St. Louis has some of the most beautiful and charming homes I’ve seen outside of Europe (I’m a sucker for brickwork). The best part is it’s largely a buyers-market (decent amount of inventory with reasonable prices). If you’re handy or up for a project then there are plenty of deals out there for you! We were worried about the time commitment med school would bring, so we picked a home that just needed minor cosmetic updates rather than major renovations.

There are many ways to find a roommate at WashU Med! I found my roommates through a Google sheet that students filled out with a personal bio, expectations for living, and contact information so we could reach out to each other. Other people found roommates they were already friends with or people they met at Second Look weekend. Once I found my roommates, we scouted apartments until we found a few we were all comfortable living in, then signed a lease in June. Since most of us were moving to a new area, everyone I talked to was open about their preferences, and finding people with whom I meshed well was easy!

When planning my move to St. Louis, I was worried about finding an apartment I liked, in a city I had never lived in, without a pre-established support system. Adding a roommate into the mix felt overwhelming. Although I’ve lived alone in the past, continuing to live alone during medical school has been even more of a privilege. I didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be to engage in the same curriculum and activities as my peers. While the mutual support is comforting, it’s also incredibly nice to ground myself in my own space. During the first few months of building friendships, it can be hard to get away from conversations that revolve around WashU Med. Living alone has allowed me to create a home base where I don’t have to think about school or be “on” socially.

More generally, I enjoy living alone because it gives me the freedom to talk to friends and family on speakerphone in the kitchen, leave my clothes in the dryer, or even set up my bed in the living room (long story) without worrying about disturbing anyone. Having a space that belongs only to me, where there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to do things, helps reduce some of the mental stress of starting medical school.

When it comes to making friends, many of my classmates (including some of my closest friends!) live in my building, and even more live within a 10-minute walk. At first, not having a built-in best friend in the form of a roommate felt isolating, but now I realize I didn’t need to worry. Many people in our class live alone, and I don’t feel that it has affected our ability to build strong friendships. Ultimately, prioritize yourself when deciding on your living situation — whether that means living solo or with roommates. You’ll find community either way.

Sharing a space with someone you’ve never met in an unfamiliar place is daunting. This is especially true in medical school since living with another student means that, between class and home, you’ll be spending a LOT of time together. However, living with a classmate has been incredible so far! Having a built-in companion for orientation and the first few weeks of school was a lifesaver. My roommate quickly became my best friend and has been my biggest support system since moving to St. Louis. Only another medical student truly understands this experience, and it’s nice to have someone to share the highs and lows with. Most importantly, having another med student around helps you prioritize balance. Whether it’s a movie night, Trader Joe’s visit, or a sweet treat run, we’re both invested in taking a breather together.

I went into my living situation half blind. I’d linked up with one of my roommates on Facebook, but the other guy was a total surprise. And they’re both incredible. One of my roommates is a law student, the other a physical therapy student, both here at WashU. The law student randomly bought me a carton of ice cream right before my first exam, and the physical therapy student plays relaxing guitar music every afternoon. It’s quite honestly a dream living situation. But I also got lucky! I’d recommend meeting people on social media platforms and maybe calling just to feel out the vibes.

In undergrad, I always lived on-campus, so renting for the first time came with a lot of new considerations. I went into my apartment hunt with a checklist but couldn’t find a place that ticked every single item. In the end, I sacrificed having a window in my bedroom for in-unit laundry. Furnishing an apartment from scratch was also much more time-consuming than I expected. Beyond that, setting up utilities, internet, and rent payments was a simple process (just don’t forget to pay your bills!). If you have some downtime before starting medical school, I would recommend using it to shop around for apartments and furniture as much as possible.