The Rice Thresher, Vol. 99, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, March 9, 2012 Page: 8 of 16
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trends.refkctions.human interest
• •
Off-campus life: pros and cons
• «
F
by Meredith Jackson
For the Thresher
For most Rice University students, the month
of March is filled with anticipation and excitement
about the events leading up to Beer Bike. But for
others. March is occupied by another kind of mad-
ness — college room jack. Let the apartment hunt-
ing, lease signing and utility researching begin.
McMurty College Sophomore Sena McCrory is
among the group of students who will be Irving off
campus next fall.
"1 was hopeful that maybe 1 would not be
kicked off because I am in one of the new dorms."
McCrory said. "We still had a few empty rooms
this year, but with another full class of freshmen
coming in. our dorm will surpass full capacity."
Other students' reactions to room jack are not
so optimistic.
"1 was terrified, and I cried for a couple hours
in my bed." an off-campus sophomore, who
wished to remain anonymous, said upon realizing
that she would not have an on campus bed next
year. "And then I remembered that I had a math
test the next day. so 1 cried for a few more hours
in the library."
According to Mark Ditman, associate vice
president for Housing and Dining, there were
beds available on campus for 76.6 percent of un-
dergraduates in Fall 2011. All freshmen are guar-
anteed on-campus housing, but determination of
housing policies bevond freshman vear is done
bv the individual colleges. While some students
voluntarily choose to move off campus, other stu-
dents are forced off due to limited space in the
residential colleges. Whatever their reasons for liv-
ing off campus. Rice undergraduates are eager to
share their advice.
"1 would stronglv recommend finding a place
reallv close to campus — walking or biking dis-
tance.' Lovect College junior Alona Bozhchenko
said. "Living close would make it easier for students
to stav in the loop of college life and not be forced to
miss out on events because of commuting."
Christian Neal. a Lovett sophomore who moved
off campus earlier this semester, advised students
looking for housing to check out listings.rice.edu.
"Make sure to know the people that you are Irv-
ing with," said Neal. "They don't need to be vour
best friends. but vou should be comfortable ask-
ing them to clean up the kitchen better, reminding
them to pav the rent or telling them that thev were
reallv loud when thev ;ame home last night."
Brown College senior Lindsav Zhang would
like to see greater support for off-campus students.
"The community at Rice should create a posi-
tive attitude toward the idea of living off campus
Decause it really helps with becoming more mature
and transitioning from college to the real world."
Zhang said. "I feel like a lot of the time, students
choose not to live OC just because of the lack of
support and the scgma associated with living OC."
A vartetv of stones characterize the off-campus
experience.
"I like cooking and grocer/ shopping and hav-
ing dinner with my neighbors and their 91-year-old
mother in-law," Hanszen College junior Danielle
Rossbach said. "I emov chopping down bamboo m
the hackvard 'with a butcher knife. I like the strav
cat that has befriended us."
Wiess College sophomore Agar Woda has
found living off campus to be somewhat more
challenging.
"I didn't inncipare the simple luxuries that [
would be missing out on, tike being able to wake
up for class to minutes early and still make it there
or not having to plan to excessive detail the trans-
portafion ind carpool schedule for you and vour
roommates,' Woda said. 'And. of course, without
the iivine blessing rhat is maid service, successful
apartment cleaning arrangements become a frus-
trating battle that many lose."
Others, such aa Hanszen senior Steve Ahn, re-
flect on the positive qualities of off-campus living.
"This is not the end of the world. In fact, I
moved off campus by choice. Houston is a gTeat
city, and you need to get out of Fondren and enjoy
the city" said Ahn.
For off-campus students
without a car. seeing the
city is still possible.
Wiess sophomore Jav
Becton offered his advice
for getting around.
"Take advantage of the
Metro buses, especially if
you don't have a car," Bec-
ton said. "Once, 1 took three
buses to Ikea, bought a
desk, lugged it on my back
to the nearest bus stop a
mile away and took three
more buses home."
Other students, like Wi-
ess sophomore Sophie Xu,
bike to and from campus
every dav.
"For students that bike,
it is really frustrating and
expensive to have bike
problems," she said. "The
night before finals started
last semester. 1 was biking
home from Fondren after
midnight. 1 was thinking
about the final 1 was going
to have the next morning.
and the next thing I knew,
1 was swept on the ground
due to the ditch on the
side of the road. My bike
was broken, so 1 had to
walk it home."
Xu said she would like
to see greater publicity and accessibility for the
bike shop at Sid.
Wiess sophomore Lilly Yu used to bike to cam-
pus every day, 'out she stopped after an incident
that involved a late-night commute in which she
was chased by a pickup truck.
Interim Rice University Police Department
Captain Clements Rodriguez encouraged students
who have to bike at night to take steps to mitigate
the risks.
"When riding your bike at night, use a white
light in the front and a red reflector in the rear of
vour bicycle along with reflectors on vour ores for
additional safer/ and because it is the law." Rodn-
f-ez said. 'Make sure vou nde in well-lit. busy areas,
and try to avoid nding at night alone if possible."
Rather than worry about biking home at night,
some off-campus students, like Wiess sophomore
Jim Sheng, have found other options. "Find some-
one on campus who you can crash with if things get
out of hand during a party or if you have too much
to study," Sheng said. "Plus it's always nice to have
a place on campus that you can call second home."
<1
1. Arcadian
2. Green briar Apartments
3. Kirby Place
4. Braeswood Apartments
5. The Lofts at Hermann Park
6. Ardmore Apartments
7. Amalfi at Hermann Park
8. The Boulevard
9. The Village at West U
10. Courts of West U
11. Gables City Walk
12. Avalon Square
13. Greenway Court
Many off-campus students also acknowledge
the added challenges of staying involved on campus.
1 m still involved at Wiess, but it's just more
difficult, Becton said. "If someone can give me a
ride home before a Wiess event, I'm probably go-
ing to take it."
So what makes living off campus most worth it?
Eating all the food," Yu said. "Making brus-
chetta, pasta with ratatouille, grilled asparagus
and monkey bread on a regular basis."
For these off-campus students, living beyond
the hedges brings with it many perks but also
many challenges.
"I definitely enjoyed ami will miss having a dif-
ferent experience for a year, but next year I will Ik*
OC - on campus!" Woda said.
Tips for Off-Campus Students
• live *«th people you feet really comfortable
with. If you're not sure of somebody, this is not
gomg to be the time to find out whether or not you
like them.
• Always remember your umbrella.
• Do not forget your bike at school and wake up
in the middle of the night realizing that you have
to be at school at 8 a.m. the next day,
• Have a car or ihm with someone who will drive you.
• Find an apartment realty earty.
• Try to stay connected to your college.
• Learn to cook something besides spaghetti, but
do not get addicted to the Food Network.
Improving the OC Community
• Create a website, btog ot club where off
campus students can share their experience*
and ideas.
• Organize more event* to connect alt off-
campus students,
• More hoe or subedited meal opportunities
would help to involve off-campus students in
on-campus activities.
• Provide 1 way for students who are search
ing for apartments to contact current off-cam
pus students whose leases are ending.
• Provide a place on campus for off-campus
students to spend a night when studying foi
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Gupta, Ryan; Brown, Seth & Jordan, Hallie. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 99, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, March 9, 2012, newspaper, March 9, 2012; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth398514/m1/8/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.