As the spring semester reaches its midpoint, students have begun to scramble for new housing options for the fall. The race for the best housing has incentivized students to accept any available housing during UT’s housing shortage. The desperation for the perfect housing, with proximity to the campus, accessibility to food and cheap prices, has acted as the driving influence for many new students. However, all that glitters is not gold, and students should not throw away their personal standards for theoretical benefits.
Many students have opted to find housing off-campus. Journalism sophomore Nicole Vargas shares her decision to relocate to off-campus housing while reflecting on the flaws within the housing system.
“The prices in Wampus (West Campus) were pretty much the same as the price of living in a dorm,” Vargas said. “(There were cases of) leasing agents not telling them that they would be having a windowless room until they move in. (That is not) an experience that any student should have to go through.”
While something like a window may not seem like a great deal on the surface, the impact that a good view or a room better tailored to the students’ tastes has is heavily influential. The environment that students choose during the semester is heavily impactful to their college career. While some housing is alluring due to its proximity to campus, students should remain cautious of the living standards.
Even if there are viewpoints that other peers may have on certain housing or a particular reputation, one should remain educated and choose housing based on their own needs and a healthy environment. A passing thought or subjective commentary is not universally reflective of the quality of the housing as a whole. The atmosphere and environment of where you live matter, so don’t jump on the bandwagon due to a couple of raving reviews or passionate criticism. According to VeryWell Mind, the spaces where individuals live and work have a significant impact on mental health and academic achievement.
Whether you’re an extroverted outgoer or an introvert who would rather stay indoors, students will spend a couple thousand hours in their choice of housing. An apartment or dorm should not be a dreaded place that students feel forced to return to after a potentially stressful day of classes. Housing in a place drastically different from students’ homes will likely never provide the same comfort and security, but it still should mimic a home away from home. Melissa Garland, director for Occupancy Management and Outreach, discusses the best way to find housing that suits the student.
“Something I commonly hear is a lot of people ask the question, ‘What is the best place to live on campus, or what is the worst place?’” Garland said. “It depends on the student and their needs. I really feel like it is up to the individual student to look at all of their different options and find out what’s best for them.”
So even if you get caught in the fight for housing, choose for yourself. Don’t choose because of what others think.
Lopez is a psychology major from Sugar Land, Texas.
