University offers limited housing options for upperclassmen students
Noelle Myers
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Editorial/Opinion
02/09/10 - The University of Rhode Island has limited options for housing on campus, which forces many students to live off campus or what some call "down the line."
Most other schools have different forms of suite style and apartment style buildings. With only Eddy Garrahy and Wiley falling under these categories, many URI students are forced to move into the typical dorm with a shared bathroom.
I weighed my options last year and moving off campus seemed the most ideal. At first I thought that it couldn't get any worse than my freshman year living in Gorham hall.
In the dorms, security was always an issue--my hall mate's Playstation was stolen while he was in his suitemate's room. The rooms were always overheated or freezing cold. My RA would scream about finding cockroaches in her shower, needing a guy in our hallway to go kill it for her. As an upperclassman, I was hoping to move on up in the world of on campus housing.
Then I realized the sophomore buildings surrounding me were just as run-down as Gorham, some even worse. Freshmen buildings like Barlow and Weldin have central air and are in great condition, as opposed to the cockroaches walking the halls of the sophomore buildings. Staying in what students call "the ghetto" part of campus seemed to be less appealing than the fifteen minute commute from Bonnet Shores.
However, finding a house that accommodated my roommates and won each of our approval was another process in itself. We spent a solid three or four weeks looking for houses last year before we found a five bedroom, two bath home with enough parking for all of us. Finding a good landlord is another factor in which I didn't consider until the very end of the process. Going through a realtor is much more challenging than going through the landlord alone.
Durkin Realty had some great houses listed on their Web site and the virtual tours can really sell the house. My roommates and I set up an appointment to view a few houses. As we pulled up to the realty, the woman realtor asked us to hop in her van so she could take us to see the houses. The big white van reading "Durkin Realty" and the smiling lady in the front seat was enough to creep out all of my roommates. We insisted that we'd follow her to the houses. Upon entering the first house my roommate turned to a closed door and asked if it was a bathroom.
She responded with something like, "I don't know, it could be a bathroom, could be a closet. Open it, I guess?"
We were unimpressed with the realtor and even more unimpressed when she handed us each a two-page application. It makes sense that they want to know who they will be renting to, but it costs $30 dollars to submit the application. If you are not accepted they only give you $20 dollars back, and if you are accepted but decline, your $30 dollars belongs to Durkin. What if you're waiting to see if they accept you and by the time they get back to you, you're homeless?
My advice to you off-campus commuters would be to have a back up plan and start searching for a place to live now, and if you're going through Durkin make sure you have the time and the patience.
Most other schools have different forms of suite style and apartment style buildings. With only Eddy Garrahy and Wiley falling under these categories, many URI students are forced to move into the typical dorm with a shared bathroom.
I weighed my options last year and moving off campus seemed the most ideal. At first I thought that it couldn't get any worse than my freshman year living in Gorham hall.
In the dorms, security was always an issue--my hall mate's Playstation was stolen while he was in his suitemate's room. The rooms were always overheated or freezing cold. My RA would scream about finding cockroaches in her shower, needing a guy in our hallway to go kill it for her. As an upperclassman, I was hoping to move on up in the world of on campus housing.
Then I realized the sophomore buildings surrounding me were just as run-down as Gorham, some even worse. Freshmen buildings like Barlow and Weldin have central air and are in great condition, as opposed to the cockroaches walking the halls of the sophomore buildings. Staying in what students call "the ghetto" part of campus seemed to be less appealing than the fifteen minute commute from Bonnet Shores.
However, finding a house that accommodated my roommates and won each of our approval was another process in itself. We spent a solid three or four weeks looking for houses last year before we found a five bedroom, two bath home with enough parking for all of us. Finding a good landlord is another factor in which I didn't consider until the very end of the process. Going through a realtor is much more challenging than going through the landlord alone.
Durkin Realty had some great houses listed on their Web site and the virtual tours can really sell the house. My roommates and I set up an appointment to view a few houses. As we pulled up to the realty, the woman realtor asked us to hop in her van so she could take us to see the houses. The big white van reading "Durkin Realty" and the smiling lady in the front seat was enough to creep out all of my roommates. We insisted that we'd follow her to the houses. Upon entering the first house my roommate turned to a closed door and asked if it was a bathroom.
She responded with something like, "I don't know, it could be a bathroom, could be a closet. Open it, I guess?"
We were unimpressed with the realtor and even more unimpressed when she handed us each a two-page application. It makes sense that they want to know who they will be renting to, but it costs $30 dollars to submit the application. If you are not accepted they only give you $20 dollars back, and if you are accepted but decline, your $30 dollars belongs to Durkin. What if you're waiting to see if they accept you and by the time they get back to you, you're homeless?
My advice to you off-campus commuters would be to have a back up plan and start searching for a place to live now, and if you're going through Durkin make sure you have the time and the patience.
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