John and James are about to start their first semester at the University of Southern California soon and they are trying to find an apartment before the University starts.

Going to University conversation

John: Hey, James. What are you doing here?

James: I am looking for an apartment to rent. What are you doing here? Looking for an apartment also?

John: Yes. Since my parents’ house is so far away, I need to find an apartment closer to school. I

thought you were going to stay at the school dormitory.

James: I still have not decided whether to stay at the dormitory or not. I am looking at different options to find the cheapest lodging.

John: So, what are you looking for?

James: All I need is a place big enough for my bed, my desk and my television. Of course, the place should have a kitchen so that I can cook my meals. I will be living on a very tight budget and will have to watch every dime.

John: Me too. I cannot work full-time like I did during the summer. I will cut down on my workload in order to spend most of the time on my studies. So, a safe and decent apartment is all I need.

James: How long have you been looking?

John: I just started this week. Since school is going to start next month, I figured I better start the process as soon as possible.

James: It is not easy to find an apartment to your liking that does not cost a lot. I have been looking at the ads in the newspaper for two weeks, and I still have not found anything yet.

John: Really? Is it that difficult to find an apartment?

James: No, it is just that everything I like so far is too expensive and way beyond my reach.

John: Is it because they are very close to school? I heard that the closer they are to school, the higher the rental cost.

James: Maybe that is the problem. Since I do not have a car, I need to find something close to school.

John: Have you thought about sharing an apartment? If you want, we can find a two bedroom apartment and share it. It may be cheaper that way.

James: That could solve our problem.

John: Wait! Maybe we should talk this over before we decide.

James: Right. For this plan to succeed, we need to come up with some sort of agreement or set of rules.

John: Here is my first question: What do you do during the weekdays?

James: I have to work at Starbucks from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, and then I have school from 1:00PM to 5:00PM. After that I plan to go home, eat dinner, and work on my school assignments. How about you?

John: Well, I have class from 8:00AM to 10:00AM, and then I go to the library to work until 2:00PM. After that, it is school again until 4:00PM. I plan to stay on campus until 6:00PM to work on my computer projects, and then go home to work on my other classes’ assignments.

James: It is my turn to ask the second question. Do you plan to have your friends over at the apartment very often?

John: No, not on weekdays. I want to finish my homework during the weekdays as much as possible. I think half of my weekend will also be reserved for homework. If my friends do stop by, it will probably be during the weekend.

James: Good, I plan to do the same things during school time. I also plan to visit my parents during the weekend. My mom is a great cook.

John: My parents’ house is too far to visit once a week. I will go home to see them and my little brother during the holidays. I need to be happy with whatever foods I cook.

James: It seems that sharing an apartment with you may work. Do you want to try it?

John: Yes. Let’s go in and take a look at this one.

EXPRESSIONS

Look at different options

 Live on a tight budget

Watch every dime

Work full-time

Start the process

It is beyond my reach