This Teen Shares What It’s Like To Live in a School — And It’s Actually Pretty Cool

Written by

Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo is a content writer at Apartment Therapy and previously for Lost At E Minor. A few years ago, he wrote an article about baby bats, which was so cute, Buzzfeed took a screenshot of the headline and cover image, then made a listicle about weird but adorable things. He…read more
published Apr 2, 2021
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Having to stay after school can be a bummer for many — but not for 15-year-old Riley Hansen, whose family actually lives in one.

In a series of TikTok videos that have gone viral with millions of views, Hansen shared what living in an old elementary school looks like. Spoiler alert: it’s actually awesome. One clip reveals that on the outside, the structure still looks like a school; on the inside, however, the place now looks more like a residence. The auditorium and cafeteria have been repurposed into what appears to be a spacious nursery and family room. The kitchen, too, has been remodeled.

Another clip details the quirks of living in such a property. For instance, there’s a lot of space, such as parking, wide hallways, and a room so big it has an outdoor pool. There’s two of everything also, such as two showers in one bathroom.

They also have access to the roof, which Hansen said his family currently uses as a hangout spot. In the future, they hope to turn it into an urban garden.

For exercise, in addition to the pool, they also have two basketball courts and a playground.

And their sleeping quarters? The classrooms, of course! Hansen explained that even though there are five bedrooms, there are not enough rooms for all family members. So instead, they partitioned off the classrooms into smaller rooms.

When asked why his family bought a school, Hansen answered that they did so four years ago because it was fairly cheap and that the place is a blank canvas where they could let their decorating imaginations go wild. He also added: “Who wants to live in an old house like everyone else?”

But perhaps the best part about living in a school is that you’ll always be ready for the zombie apocalypse.