Student Housing Business is the voice of the student housing industry.
Issue link: https://studenthousingbusiness.epubxp.com/i/616872
STUDENT OPINION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 STUDENT HOUSING BUSINESS .COM 92 Feeling at Home For this recent Auburn alum, the third year was a charm. By Austin Northenor A The moment I walked into my frst dorm room, I felt the chill of the air conditioner — which I later learned would only blast A/C or heat, nothing in between — and the unmistakable smell of mildew. That smell haunts me now, yet reminds me of one of the best years of my life. I'm a recent graduate of Auburn University. I graduated in May 2015 and can be nothing but sure that Auburn University was the best thing that ever happened to me. August 7, 2011, arrived timidly. I couldn't wait to get to school. I walked into the doors of Hollifeld, room 201, and was immediately overjoyed. This was my home. My roommate and I had planned everything for months; it was absolutely perfect. Living in Hollifeld was a good choice for many reasons. When students choose their housing locations, they look at many factors. One of them is location, and Hollifeld offered that. Its location on a hill gives the complex its campus nickname "The Hill." The Hill is next to Jordan-Hare Stadium, multiple English and Math and Science buildings, and is convenient to the library and downtown. Students also look at the cleanliness and the layout of the room. Hollifeld wasn't the clean- est, but the location was great and the room had potential. Sure, there was some dust, a little grime and maybe a bit of mold, but this could be easily remedied with some elbow grease. Each room has two beds, one bath- room and two suitemates. My roommate and I shared a bathroom with two other girls who unfortunately did not share our same interests. Luckily, there is a lock on the bathroom door to block off the other side of the room. That was a plus. Finally, Hollifeld was perfect for meeting new friends. Packed mainly with freshmen, it was uncommon for someone not to fnd a group of friends, and that I did. The Hill is divided into a few, three- to fve-story build- ings that are flled with recent high school graduates who are itching to experience the new world. That itch is what drives students to branch out, to make new friends and to leap into the unknown. Living in a dorm was the best thing I could have done. I started college completely immersed in the culture and the independence of being an adult. Though I was only 18 years old, I was ready take on the world. The dorm housed me for a year. Before going home in the summer of 2012, eight of my closest friends and I signed a lease for a new cottage-style townhouse off- campus. All sum- mer we planned what furniture to bring, who was going to share a room with whom and what our friends would say when we told them about our new place. This was one of the greatest decisions that I will never make again. Eight girls lived in a four-bedroom house with four bathrooms. Well, really fve bath- rooms including the half-bath in the hallway. The cottage was the newest and the most sought-after student housing complex in the community. Everyone wanted to be there, and we were lucky to fnd it. Here is what I can say about living two miles off-campus in a small town: Despite what one may think, it's very hard to commute back and forth and this was our main struggle. Two miles is a lot when there isn't a bus that runs all night. However, that aside, the complex was great. It had a wonderful pool, a modern ftness facility and offered fabulous amenities. We were living large. But by the summer of 2013, we were more than ready to say goodbye to the cottage. Though the cottage brought my friends and I to new a level of friendship, which we all still value today, we were all ready for our own rooms, own space and, most importantly, something closer to campus. In August of 2013, three friends and I moved into a house on Toomer Street. It was a sorority pass-down house built in 1920 and the oldest house in Auburn. In our minds, it was faw- less. We were a block from downtown and across the street from campus. By far, Toomer Street was my favorite place to live for two joyous years. We learned how to pull weeds, maintain a yard, kill bugs that we used to fear and even learned how to grill. Toomer Street offered us a porch, four bedrooms, a front yard, a back yard and plenty of parking space and many memories. We grew close with our neighbors, got a dog and loved every minute of it. So after living in three different homes in four years, this is what I learned: you can never judge a dorm by its exterior. Dorms will be dorms. They are never going to be perfect, but they are the perfect choice for a freshman. They are safe and compact. People are con- stantly around, and that can be comforting, especially for those who miss home. Secondly, I learned that living off campus is hard. Living with your friends makes every- thing better, but it is always good idea to eval- uate the distance between campus and home when signing a lease. Finally, live somewhere that makes you happy. Personally, I look for something that lets in a lot of light, has a lot of communal space and has enough space to host a group of people. Toomer was that place for me. Whatever housing option one may choose, it should be a home, not just a place to stay. Austin Northenor is a 2015 graduate of Auburn University. She currently resides in Atlanta and is working in the public relations industry. AUSTIN NORTHENOR Auburn University alum " After living in three different homes in four years, this is what I learned: you can never judge a dorm by its exterior.