We are all aware of the infamous saying of “seeing the light at the end of the tunnel." After three and a half years of college I am finally seeing some sort of finish line in a year and a half (yes, your math is correct that adds up to five years, as previously discussed in another post).
Right before I moved back for the spring semester a very important email found its way into my inbox; “Housing Selection 2014-2015”. It was exhilarating to see my year of graduation headlining in an email and I finally felt like this journey will actually come to an end one day. Housing selection was moved up to a much earlier date this year so the process could get moving quicker and any kinks in the process could be taken care of sooner rather than later.
When it comes to housing, you have to have a plan
Every year I have lucked out with housing. I have always been one for paying attention to detail and it pays off when it comes time to select housing since I already thought of plan A, B, and even C. Housing selection is separated into two different parts – Apartment selections and resident hall selections. Resident hall selection is pretty straight forward. If you like the room you are in (unless it is freshman housing) you can do same room selection. If you like the hall you are in but want a different room, you can do same hall selection. Since you already live in that room or building you get first dibs over others.
If you wish to change residence hall you receive a sign up time for housing, based on how many credits you have, where you select a room in a different building on campus. If you have someone specific that you would like as your roommate both of you simply select the same room when it is your housing time. It’s all about timing and knowing where you want to live. Since selecting is online it’s all about having multiple plans and scenarios. The more places you know that you want to live going in, the higher the chances of getting a residence hall you prefer.
Want to live in an apartment? Start earning your points!
Apartment selections are a bit more complex. Apartment selection is for the Townhouses and North Street Apartments. These residence halls are great because it is all single rooms (anywhere from 5-8 people depending on where you select), has a full kitchen, a bathroom and a half, and your own living room for yourself and your apartment-mates. Apartments are usually for upperclassmen and I only say this because it is based off of points as well as where you currently live. Depending on the amount of credits you have and where you currently live depends on how many points you are worth. I am worth 5 point because I have enough credits to put me in the four point range and I only get 1 point for living in Cedar House currently.
Then your points are added together with your groups to have a possible total number against a maximum of 36 (each person can be worth a max of 6 points and 6 people max per apartment to start). Then every single group who turned in an apartment sheet is ranked in order from highest to lowest points and the groups pick in that order. Right now we are in the middle of apartment selections waiting for all the groups to finalize and turn in their paperwork. I won’t say how many points my group has but I will say that I think we are in a very good spot (knock on wood, fingers crossed, I hope I did not just jinx us).
Don't panic. It all works out in the end.
Housing selection definitely gives me anxiety still even as I approach my last year. Housing always does an excellent job making sure everyone is happy with their housing since it is where you will be living for a year. I have had to email housing in the past to move my room and they immediately started the process for me. Housing also sets up a variety of meeting and tours before housing selection is final so everyone can make their best judgments’ possible on where to live.
I cannot believe this will be the fourth and final time I will be choosing my housing. Another big and final step towards the ultimate goal of graduation!
May the housing odds ever be in my favor.
