Have cold or fever-like symptoms? Do you feel nauseous all the time? Do you have migraines that won’t end and stomach pains that won’t stop? These are all symptoms of a pretty common strain of looking for off-campus housing for the first time.

Lately, the stress-inducing task of figuring out next year’s housing has been on my internet-surfing agenda. And I could just about self-diagnose myself with an early-onset midlife crisis with how absolutely agonizing the process has become. So, I’m hoping that sharing some of my findings may be a little bit enlightening to others who find themselves at an absolute loss regarding floor plans, amenities and what monthly rent will or won’t cut it. I mean, I can’t be the only one whose mother needed to tell them what a lease was.

I’ve lined up two common options for Binghamton University students looking to take the next step in Adulting 101. Without further ado, welcome to House Hunters: Pipe Dream Edition!

The Printing House is a great choice for someone looking for an apartment-style living arrangement. Located at 19 Chenango St. in Binghamton, it has apartments ranging from one to six bedrooms. Each bedroom can also have its own respective bathroom, depending on the kind of floor plan you choose, which was a “must” for me. After two years of sharing bathrooms with six people, I’ve fulfilled my rite of passage for walking through the hair-infested Atlantic Ocean on my bathroom floor, thank you very much. With a fitness center, study lounges, a game room and an on-site movie theater, it’s very student-oriented, though the communal laundry center could pose an inconvenience as it is often occupied by other residents. The convenience of being walking distance from popular stomping grounds like The Rathskeller Pub, Tom and Marty’s and Dillingers Celtic Pub & Eatery makes a drunken walk home a breeze. When it comes to college students, a safe walk home from a night out is always a top priority. For reference, a two-bed, two-bath apartment is about 1,320 square feet and costs at least $966 per month.

20 Hawley St. is the second student apartment housing option we’ll take a look at. 20 Hawley is a hard-to-miss gem of Hawley Street, with a layout similar to The Printing House, ranging from one to six bedrooms with respective private bathrooms depending on the floorplan of your choice. With a Signature JOE Coffee Bar with a Starbucks Coffee machine, brand new boutique clubhouse lounge and a resort-style hot tub with an outdoor deck, it appears that Hawley has everything one could ask for. A big plus for me would be that it is located right next to the Binghamton Police Bureau, making for a safe feel for any new renter, while also being close to Craft for a nice meal out — and walking distance from Binghamton’s Downtown Center. However, a con of 20 Hawley would have to be its square-footage-to-cost ratio. For reference, a 2-bed, 2-bath apartment is 700 square feet, with a monthly rental cost starting at $1,085. Compared to somewhere like The Printing House, it appears that you get less square foot for your buck from 20 Hawley, though it must be taken into account that you may be paying for every other fancy-pants accommodation they offer. By the sounds of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if their toilet seats were made of gold and their sink water was sparkling.

Places like 20 Hawley and The Printing House are part of the recent emergence of luxury student housing that is becoming very popular in college towns everywhere, and Binghamton is no exception. And while it is easy to be blinded by fancy amenities and gorgeous lobbies, realistically not all students can afford this standard of living in addition to tuition and other expenses. Other notable options for students to explore include University Lofts and Chenango Place, as well as U Club Binghamton. Houses are another great direction for students who don’t think apartment-style housing is for them.

Don’t get me wrong, while both The Printing House and 20 Hawley are opportunities for great living arrangements. But, from the perspective of a 19-year-old college student who’s looking for my first real place to call my own, 20 Hawley seems a little upscale for someone who was rifling through their pockets at 3 a.m. for a few extra dollars to pay their taxi — only to find a used tissue, a fake ID and $3 and 52 cents. However, everyone’s different, and while somewhere like The Printing House might just be my future home-sweet-home, for others “The JIM” and “The Joe” at 20 Hawley might be calling their name. My advice would be to choose what looks right, what costs right and what feels right for you. Don’t just do something to please other people, because, at the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with your decision. And in this case, the one who has to live in it too.

Julia O’Reilly is a sophomore majoring in biology.