Hey, so for uni I'm moving away to ottawa, rn I live in Toronto. I don't want to live in rez because I would rather cook on my own and I need privacy. So my options are to either rent an apartment or a room and live with roomates. Thing is, I'm scared to live with roomates as I've heard they steal your stuff, or someone refuses to pay etc.. However financially, I would only be able to pay 500 or so a month. It is easy to find a room for this amount, but nearly impossible to find an apartment for this amount. Should I take money from student loan towards the apartment (ive heard this is a terrible idea) or should I just suck it up and live w roomates? Any roommate experiences anyone?
Thanks

In a dorm, you'd have roommates probably, or at least dormmates.

What about renting a room and having kitchen and bathroom privileges? During my sophomore year, I lived in an off-campus family home, in a spare bedroom that had an attached bathroom and a mini kitchen (small refrigerator and two hot plates -- microwaves didn't exist yet).

Do you have a car for traveling to and from campus? Ottawa is certainly large enough for you to find various options. Usually the dean's office will have a list of housing options. Try craigslist:

https://ottawa.craigslist.ca/search/roo

Live within your means, so do your research, and choose where you live, and with whom VERY carefully. Or get a better paying JOB. Are you planning on working AND going to school? Will employment affect your education funding? Nearly all the students with loans juggle between living expenses, and education costs.

Depends how you MANAGE whatever funds you have, knowing full well that LOANS require REPAYMENT at some point, but a necessary investment in your future. I worked my way through school without loans, and though it took LONGER to get through school, I emerged debt free. I found a great paying job that allowed for that (Way back in the day of course, and many don't have that option NOW)!
Thanks MOM/DAD! Forever grateful for instilling do it yourself, and MANAGE your life work ethics.

I don't knock those without a great job, and MUST take out loans to better themselves, but the key here is you must be willing to make adjustments to your situation to succeed. I mean what if you cannot get those kitchen privileges, or have to share them with others, to live within your budget? The same goes for your privacy, and security.

Hey man you no longer live at home with mommy or daddy, so you better learn quick how to compromise and navigate through this very hard cruel world with some thoughtful management of YOURSELF, and your affairs. Its challenging, but doable if you work at it.

Get the FACTS and see what options you have, and base your decision on the FACTS. I didn't have room mates, did I mention that good job? No good job? Don't be afraid to experiment, or have faith in your own realistic ability to rise to the challenge.

Where is your 500 bucks a month coming from?