Hi, I’m an American moving to Tokyo in April and I will be 29 y/o in May. I’ll be a grad student at a national university and am having a hard time deciding where to live. My program is two years and as of now, I also plan to stay in Tokyo to work after graduating. I also plan to look for a part-time or full-time job while I’m studying. Please help me decide or provide some insight. So far I’ve narrowed it down to 2 places:
Option 1: Student Dorm
This is the Uninest Hakusan House dorm. It has 200-300 students in a very large complex. Here, I would live in a 6 person “nest” with basically a closet as a room for each person. The bed is a bunk bed but my “room” would be partitioned from the person below/above me by a wall. There’s 2 showers/toilets for the 6 of us. There are cleaners that come daily to clean the shared areas like the kitchen or living room on each floor but not the nest itself as the students are expected to clean them. While my personal area would be very cramped, I think living there could be great for my social life because there are so many people and many social events, especially since I don’t really have any friends in Japan. However, part of me is a little concerned that I’m a bit too old for the dorms as I imagine I’d be surrounded by a lot of 18-22 year olds and might have trouble fitting in. I’ve been told there’s a mix of ages so they won’t all be of undergrad age. I’d love to make friends or even date, but I might just be that 40-50 year old who hangs around the bar filled with college students. From what I can tell, there’s a good mix of both Japanese and foreign students. This dorm is a 20 min walk from my school.
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Option 2: Share House
So this share house has 12 people, each with their own rooms. The rooms are quite spacious and the room I’m considering is about 12 square meters. Each room in this share house has its own sink, which is a huge plus for me as I hate to feel rushed getting ready. There are 2 showers/3 toilets. There would definitely be friends to make in this share house, but it’s probably no where near as social as the dorm. This place has a lot going for it in terms of value, as it’s cheaper than the dorm by about $100 while offering much more in terms of personal space. It’s a 10 minute walk from my school. In terms of sheer convenience, this place has the dorm beat. This place has roughly 6 people in their 20s, 4 people in their 30s, and 2 people in their 40s according to their latest estimate, so I wouldn’t be concerned about feeling out of place here.
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So I’m very torn between the large social opportunities that come with the dorm vs the nice conveniences that come with the share house. I could really use help with some insight or experiences that other people have had. I don’t want to miss out on my social life, but I also am very drawn to the conveniences of this share house that are way better than any other place I’ve looked at near my school for the price. Please help me decide.
7 comments
> I also plan to look for a part-time or full-time job while I’m studying.
Have you looked into the regulations for students?
Why not live in the dorm first? If you don’t like it you can always check out share houses later.
The sharehouse.
By a mile.
Like you said. You are 29 and the dorm will probably be full of youngins wanting to get rowdy.
Also, if you want socialization, join a club. That’s how many university students socialize.
From what you’ve written I can’t see a single thing that would make me choose the dorm over the share house. If you put yourself out there, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to make friends. Personal space, however, is priceless.
Grad school, choose the sharehouse.
Definitely the sharehouse considering your age.
I can’t imagine being 29 and in a cramped bunk bed dorm situation. When I was a grad student/research student I stayed briefly in a dorm before getting my own apartment, but they were like tiny 1DKs, not shared space.
Go for the share house. Socialize with other grad students you meet in seminar. You’ll be fine.
Easily sharehouse, the moment you have conflict with someone inside dorm It’s not socially fun anymore.