If you didn’t read the lease before you signed it, do so now. And still ask all of your questions about it. If there is something not in it that you thought would be there, like being able to have a fish or the landlord’s policy on painting the apartment, ask, don’t assume. Regardless of whether or not you know what is in the lease, your are still legally bound by it.

Sometimes things get broken in the apartment. Don’t try to fix them yourself. Tell your landlord as soon as possible. If you try to fix some things yourself, even if you know what you are doing, you may be responsible for paying a licensed contractor to come in and fix your repair, or at least to double check it.

In the same vein, if there is something that you want to change about the apartment—more than hanging pictures—get your landlord’s approval first and, if possible, in writing. If you don’t, you may have to pay for someone to come in and return the apartment to its original condition. And that can get expensive.

As far as your roomies go, set a schedule for chores so that no one gets stuck cleaning the bathroom all of the time. And if you haven’t figured out yet how to split the bills and get them paid, definitely figure that out before the first ones come due.

One of the benefits of living off campus is always having what you want in the house to eat. Consider sharing groceries and the shopping duties. This can save you bucks by buying in bulk, and cooking for a couple of people isn’t normally any harder than cooking for one.