off campus in first year

If you are an older student or just hate people in general, then rez might not be the best place for you in your first year at Queen's.

But, if you and a bunch of friends from the same high school are thinking that it would be way cooler to live in the ghetto, think again.

Rez really is the best place to meet people and to learn to adjust to university life. The student ghetto around campus is wicked, and much better suited for kids who are done with rez and ready to try living on their own. There are also grad residences for grad students, the Science 44 Co-op for international and upper year students.

Another great option for off campus housing other than a ghetto house is Princess Louise Residence. Located across from Coffee & Company and above the Starbucks is an all female residence that makes life off campus easy, albeit not cheap. They claim to be luxury accomodation, and while the rooms are not that much bigger than a rez room, full housekeeping service is provided, the building is kept in great condition, and heck, you live in just about the most convenient location in the ghetto.

Most of the houses in the ghetto are extremely sketchy and animal infested, but living on campus is a world of fun .. depending on who you live with of course. Chances are, living North of Princess Street, or NOP (anything on the far side from campus of Princess Street) is notoriously cheap, cheap, cheap and a little on the sketchy side. Also, anything further West of Collingwood is pretty far from downtown and campus .. you're better off aiming at a place a bit North or a bit East .. but choose carefully and enjoy it!

Remember, being close to the A&P, a good bar, a convenience store, and campus are key! I'd also highly recommend trying to get a Queen's House (there is an annual lottery to live in Queen's owned and operated houses). Oh yeah, and Aberdeen is where all the 'cool' kids live.

Above: A Queen's owned house. This one is practically located right on campus.

Above: It takes a lot of house hunting to find a place that isn't infested with rats & bats.

Above: Kingston has some lovely old homes that have fallen into states of disrepair thanks to decades of neglect by students. However, that's part of their charm!