Some medical students choose to stay in dorms, while others opt to live in apartments off campus.
Ethan Liebross went for a less common housing option: He lives full-time in a van — a 2015 Ford Transit that he turned into a mobile, off-grid home.
“The decision to live in a van by choice is very different from the one that a lot of people have to make because there are people who are really suffering,” Liebross, 24, told Business Insider. “I wanted to live as simply and minimally as possible, as a practice to help me become a better individual and a better future doctor.”
Although he grew up on a farm in New Jersey, he’s no stranger to van life.
During his gap year, he had lived out of another van while working as a freelance writer for local newspapers.
“At that time, I couldn’t afford to stay in hotels for a whole year, and the practicality of couch surfing didn’t really make sense,” Liebross said. “So I decided to convert a little camper van — a Ford Transit Connect — and I traveled around the US.”
The experience was challenging but enjoyable, and it left such an impact on Liebross that he decided to do it again when he started medical school.
“I thought if I liked it this much and I really enjoy the simple life, why not give it a try?” Liebross added.
The hunt for a van
But first, he needed a new vehicle — the Ford Transit Connect was too small to be a permanent home for the next four years.
He couldn’t stand up inside, and all he had was a cooler that needed ice changed every two days.
“I was sleeping on the floor with no mattress or anything because the space didn’t really allow it,” Liebross said.
It wasn’t going to be sustainable, especially since he knew that medical school was going to be challenging, he added: “I wanted to make sure I was getting very high-quality sleep, and I knew I couldn’t be running around trying to find ice all the time.”
After driving all over New Jersey to visit car dealerships with his dad, Liebross ended up getting a used 2015 Ford Transit off Facebook Marketplace for $20,000.
After that, it was a race against time to complete the van conversion.
“I only had three months before I needed to make it to California for school,” Liebross said, adding that he had already spent a month looking for the van.
Even though he had some experience, the scale of this conversion was larger and more complicated than his first van project.
“The whole thing was just one big lesson in problem-solving,” Liebross said. One day, he’d be trying to figure out the right inverter to buy, and the next day, he’d be researching how to cut down a butcher block countertop, he said.
“I woke up at 5:30 a.m. most days, and I worked until 9 p.m. at night,” he said. “And even when there were family events going on, I couldn’t go because I was really tight on time.”
Even though things were tricky, he enjoyed the process. Thankfully, he also had some help from his dad.
“We worked together on the weekends or when he came home from work,” Liebross said. “It’s such an awesome thing to get to work side by side with my dad, who’s someone I really admire.”
A modern tiny home
Liebross’ van, which is equipped with solar panels, is simple and cozy with details reminiscent of a modern home.
Behind the driver’s seat is a kitchenette area complete with cabinets, a stainless sink, and a gas range. The sleeping area, with a memory foam mattress, is at the back of the van.
The passenger seat also swivels around, and he finds it useful when he has friends over.
However, there’s no proper toilet in the van, he said: “There are a couple of gyms on campus, so I’ll just bike over, work out at the gym, and then take a shower.”
The hardest part of the build was figuring out the electrical system.
“It was really complex, dealing with a lot of complex physics and mechanics, and it can also be pretty dangerous, so you have to be very careful,” Liebross said.
Liebross says he spent $13,460 on the van build. Including the cost of the van, he spent $33,460 in total.
In contrast, university housing rent for a single tenant in the upcoming school year starts from $1,500 a month but can go up to almost $3,500, depending on the location and the size of the apartment. At those rates, the minimum cost for four years of housing could have added up to at least $72,000.
Full-time van life
Liebross drove cross-country with his dad to California and moved into the van about a week before school started in early August.
He’s been living in the van ever since.
“It’s been pretty good, especially compared to that year I had off. That was roughing it out a lot more, especially in the colder months,” Liebross said. “Luckily, I live in sunny California now, so it never got below freezing during winter.”
His parents have also been supportive of his decision to live in a van during college.
“I guess the shock really came when I wanted to do it during my gap year,” Liebross said. “I’d probably said it to them for months and months in passing — it didn’t come out of the blue.”
Although his parents, and especially his mom, were worried about his safety, they trusted him to be careful.
“I think overall, they knew that I was really smart about it. I really prioritized my own safety,” he said. “And I think now they probably think it’s cool and different. They’ve just been very supportive and I’m really lucky to have them in my life.”
Although LA can be scary due to its crime rates, Liebross says he feels safe living in the van because he takes extra precautions.
“I try to be as safe as possible,” Liebross said. “I try to be really aware of my surroundings and I don’t really tell people where I park or my location.”
Liebross parks his van on the streets about 10 minutes from campus and usually cycles to class.
“I don’t move around a whole lot because if you leave your spot, you have to try to get a new one,” he said. “Driving also isn’t the most environmentally conscious, so I try to bike around as much as I can.”
A lesson in simplicity
Looking back, Liebross says the entire experience has been gratifying.
Not only did the process feel special because he got to work with his dad, but it was also nice to have the results of his hard work on display.
“I’m really proud of the final outcome,” Liebross said. “I really enjoy the challenge of living in a smaller space, biking to take a shower at the gym, and cooking healthy meals with limited resources. It makes you deeply appreciate the little things.”
He also hopes that living in a van will help him become more disciplined, creative, and compassionate.
“I’ve come to the realization that if I really want to practice medicine selflessly and make a difference, I need to create a life for myself that doesn’t require a lot of money or things,” Liebross added.
Have you recently built or renovated your dream home? If you’ve got a story to share, get in touch with me at agoh@businessinsider.com.
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