How I Decided Where to Live as a Female International Graduate Student

Finding housing was one of the most overwhelming parts of preparing for grad school. Mostly because I had never been to Rochester before. As an international student, every decision had to be made remotely, based on pictures I saw online, reviews on Reddit, and conversations with people I hadn’t met in person.

There were no apartment tours, no neighborhood walks, no quick “let me just check this place out.” Everything came down to research, judgment, and learning from others’ experiences.

Starting From the University’s Housing Resources

One of the first places I looked was the housing information listed on the RIT website. It helped me understand what kinds of options were commonly used by students and what distances were considered reasonable for commuting.

As a starting point, this was useful, especially when I didn’t yet know the city or the neighborhoods. It gave me a framework before I started exploring more independently.

Learning From Other Students’ Experiences

When I began seriously looking into off-campus housing, I came across a blog post on the RIT Graduate Student blog website. The blog post walked through different housing options and what to think about before choosing. Reading it felt grounding.

It didn’t feel like advice coming from above. It felt like someone who had already been through the process was sharing what they learned. That made a big difference for me, especially since I couldn’t rely on in-person judgment.

I also spent a lot of time reading posts on Reddit. Not just the highly upvoted ones, but the comments where people talked about what surprised them after moving in, what they underestimated, and what they would do differently next time. Patterns mattered more than opinions. When the same points kept coming up, I paid attention.

Finding Support through Online Communities

In 2023, I joined several student housing groups on Facebook. At first, I was just observing. Over time, those spaces became incredibly useful.
Students regularly post about:

• sublets for a semester
• relets when plans change
• roommates looking to fill a spot

What stood out to me was how honest these posts were. People shared real details — rent, distance, what worked, what didn’t. Even when I wasn’t ready to commit, scrolling through these posts helped me understand what was realistic and what daily life actually looked like for students.

And it wasn’t available at the time, but RIT has a new resource for grad students. They partnered with ZeeMee, so you can connect with other graduate students interested in RIT. Just join the online graduate community via the free ZeeMee app. You can chat with current students like me, get your questions answered directly by graduate admissions counselors, and complete the find a roommate quiz within the app. 

My Final Choice

As I gathered more information, I realized that my decision wasn’t just about where to live, but how I wanted my daily life to feel.

The first choice I made was between on-campus and off-campus housing. While on-campus options felt structured and convenient, I found myself leaning toward off-campus housing for the independence it offered. I liked the idea of having my own routine, a proper kitchen, and a space that felt separate from academic life.

Once I knew I wanted to live off campus, the next question was whether I wanted to live alone or with others.

Coming from a completely different country, I knew the transition wouldn’t be easy. Everything would be new: the city, the pace, the environment. The idea of coming back to a quiet, empty apartment every evening felt a little heavy, especially in the beginning. That’s when a shared apartment started to feel like the right choice.

It wasn’t about saving money. It was about having people around. Someone else in the kitchen, someone to talk to after a long day, someone else adjusting to a new place at the same time. That presence felt comforting in a way I hadn’t fully realized I needed.