New grad working new job: should son have roommate or live alone?

Parent Cafe
21

Son had roommates for his first college apartment then lived solo. His first job was in the same city, he moved from the campus area closer to work and lived solo. The next year he shared with someone from work (place hires hundreds every summer)- surprised me but he babysat the guy’s bird when he traveled for work. He knew the other person first. Then he moved OOS and has had solo apartments walking distance to work. Frugal kid with good salary had a one bedroom and downsized to a studio. May change this summer.

It sounds like travel to work is the same at either place. It might be nice for your son to be walking distance to bars et al- easier to consider than needing to arrange for transportation. More spontaneous when just walking gets you there without needing to plan. Living alone can be nice. The other guy is a complete stranger and older. It also depends on your son’s wish for privacy, quiet- introverted lifestyle. With a good income I would vote for the close to the city alone studio.

22

My daughter considered a roommate but chose to live alone - small apt. about 5 minutes from where she works. She’s happy with her decision.

23

My youngest son had a similar dilemma when he moved to a city across the country last fall. He found a couple of affordable apartments but also did a roommate match on-line: http://www.easyroommate.com/ Sort of like eHarmony for roommates. The apartment the roommate had was even nicer than the ones he had found and was in the same area he had narrowed it down to. The apartment had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, which was really nice. They hit it off after meeting for coffee and he decided to go with the roommate. Great decision! She was also fairly new to the area (moved there 6 months prior) but open, just like him, to trying new things and meeting new people. They became good friends and fairly quickly gathered a wider group of common friends. There was a savings, but I don’t think that was the most important factor.