If you thought choosing a dorm was hard, try picking a neighborhood. Choosing to live off campus is an exciting decision, but it's hard to know where to start. Once you've figured out the right home base for your needs you can start looking for your new home. The Eagle staff has compiled this quick and dirty quiz to help you pick out your home away from home.
1. What's your ideal morning commute?
A. I'm done with the dorms, but it sure is nice to be able to roll out of bed and into the classroom. B. I'm all for getting out into the city, but I'm dead in the morning and want to zone out on the Metro. C. I've got this public transport thing down. The most interesting people are on the bus and waiting for trains. D. Everyday is an adventure - live it!
2. How do you spend your weekends?
A. I never miss a good party, and I love that I don't have to plan my evening around finding a way to get there. B. I like to be in the action but still able to get a little work done if need be. C. I buzz between doing work at cafés and catching shows. D. I didn't choose my living situation just to sleep in my bed at night. I love to explore my surroundings, natural and urban.
3. How important is cost in your decision of where to live?
A. Convenience is my biggest concern, and saving money on transportation means I can spend more on my living situation. B. I've thought about it, but I'm pretty sure I can swing it. C. It's on my list, definitely. The 'rents say I've got to keep my rent under control. D. I want to make sure I'm getting the most bang for my buck, and keeping it that way is always on my mind.
4. What does your perfect neighborhood look like?
A. A little suburban with all the amenities. B. I like the hustle and bustle of city life. C. Some grit and grime is charming. D. Diverse.
5. Who do you imagine your neighbors being?
A. My old floormates, maybe some families. B. Young professionals and businesses, of course. C. The typical urban spread: hipsters, young families and yuppies from diverse backgrounds. D. People from all walks of life, who I probably won't see too much of.
6. What would you like to be convenient from your digs?
A. AU hotspots like Guapo's and Chef Geoff's, as well as some truly great shopping. B. Quirky boutiques and hole-in-the-wall gems I can really sink my teeth into. C. Urban culture, like clubs, record stores, cafés and a range of affordable ethnic eats. D. Everything from parks to bars to movie theaters to shopping; I just want to spend my free time free from campus.
RESULTS Mostly As: Homebody It's no lie that being close to AU means sleeping later and renting movies from Media Services for free late at night. With culture and nightlife only a short Metro ride away, why sacrifice weekday convenience for a debilitating commute? Plus, the campus is still extremely accessible for your extracurricular festivities as well as some serious studying. LOCALES: Friendship Heights, Tenleytown
Mostly Bs: Red line rebel You've got this small city living thing down: you want to balance the convenience of public transport with the burgeoning nightlife and big city ethos. You know that one of AU's benefits is that it only has to be a home base for your city education, but you also have it in the back of your mind that classes have to be at least one of your priorities. LOCALES: Adams Morgan, Cleveland Park, Woodley Park
Mostly Cs: Green line grower Sure gentrification's a dirty word, but someone's got to reweave the fabric of the city, right? By getting in on the bottom floor, you're expanding your cultural horizons and being part of a process that is seemingly unstoppable. By moving further from the school, you're acknowledging the importance of city life. LOCALES: Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant, Petworth
Mostly Ds: Urban pioneer There is more to the metro area than the Northwest quadrant, and good for you for recognizing it! You don't see transportation as a barrier to expanding your horizons and safeguarding your wallet. While your friends are viewing the Tenleytown Metro stop as the nucleus of their college experience, you're pushing out into the great unknown and exercising the great American right: manifest destiny. LOCALES: Bethesda, Md.; H Street corridor
PROFILES Adams Morgan While it may be a zoo on weekend nights, Adams Morgan is the home of commodified culture in D.C. If you're looking for falafel, Tibetan crafts, West African art or a synthesis of vegan and biker cultures, there are few better places to look. Long recognized as D.C.'s bohemian outpost, housing is often at a premium with accordant cost. For some, being at the nexus of the District's cultural influences is worth the price. TRANSPORTATION: 96 Metrobus (with some walking), Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan (red line)
Bethesda, Md. Venturing outside the rough diamond of the District is something of which its denizens are often wary, but Bethesda is an affordable and fun option. Two movie theaters, a bevy of shops, one of the Metro area's best diners and many large apartment complexes make the Maryland suburb worth a second look. Lack of transportation makes this option more difficult, but by no means does it rule out the area. TRANSPORTATION: Bethesda Metro (red line)
Cleveland Park For students looking to remain within walking distance (it's less than two miles), Cleveland Park is a hip option. The area surrounding the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Porter Street includes a bunch of restaurants, one of D.C.'s last movie palace-style theaters, a pretty decent library and even a paint-your-own-pottery place. The area is bustling, especially in early evening, but still homey. Housing prices are comparable to the area right around AU, with some great deals if you're willing to dig. TRANSPORTATION: H3 and H4 Metrobuses, Cleveland Park Metro (red line)
Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant With a bus line that runs straight from the Metro shuttle stop, Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant are becoming favorite neighborhoods for AUers looking past the red line. The DC USA shopping complex, gentrification (and the accompanying parent-approved increase in safety) has made moving to these multi-culti gems more appealing than ever. Housing is affordable and much of the city's nightlife, including Adams Morgan and the U Street corridor, is walkable. TRANSPORTATION: H3 and H4 buses, Columbia Heights Metro (green and yellow lines)
Friendship Heights Close, but not too close. Metrobus and Metrorail keep you connected to school but offer enough of a buffer to make you feel independent. The area is almost its own separate city and boasts movie theaters, shopping complexes, high-rise apartments and cheap, good eats. If you don't mind being further away from the monuments, and love a good, clean city to live in, then Friendship Heights is the neighborhood for you. TRANSPORTATION: N and 30 Metrobuses, Friendship Heights Metro (red line)
H Street corridor If ever an area were focused on community building, it's the H Street corridor. It's only very recently that the area has experienced a revival, so it might be tough to convince your parents on this one. Between boarded-up buildings and a 24-hour daycare or two, exists a myriad of wonders including a slew of bars, several music venues, a theater, hot yoga and some crafty eats. Transportation can be a bit dicey, but this area is definitely on the up-and-up. TRANSPORTATION: X2 Metrobus (transfer from Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro), Union Station Metro (red line)
Petworth One of D.C.'s original suburbs, Petworth housed a large minority population by the early 1990s when Metro opened a station in the neighborhood, endangering housing and the area's sense of community. It has since bounced back despite the pressures of gentrification. Petworth is the emerging home of a number of exciting new businesses and cultural outposts, but is still a little rough around the edges. TRANSPORTATION: Georgia Ave.-Petworth Metro (green line)
Tenleytown Where is the love for Tenleytown? One of the most underrated neighborhoods in D.C., Tenleytown has got the goods for those who want to stay near school, without living in the dorms. Dry cleaners, Chinese, Mexican and Thai food, a Hudson Trail Outfitters and a 24-hour diner are all clustered along Wisconsin Avenue. Beautiful, peaceful neighborhoods behind the hustle and bustle of Wisconsin Avenue are just begging to be disrupted by some crazy college kids. TRANSPORTATION: AU shuttle
Woodley Park Many younger AU students may be unaware of the wonders that was Jandara in Tenleytown, but the Thai favorite still has a home in Woodley Park. A ton of restaurants pepper the neighborhood, also one of the prettiest on this list. The verdant vicinity includes the National Zoo, a section of Rock Creek Park and a slew of vaguely monumental bridges. Apartment complexes line Connecticut Avenue, but as the home of many of D.C.'s young professionals, prices can be competitive. TRANSPORTATION: 96 Metrobus (with some walking), Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro (red line)
You can reach this staff writer at kpowell@theeagleonline.com.
