By Braden Ochs | Echo
Students often have questions when moving into the university apartments: Campbell and Wolgemuth Hall. Will it be different from dorm life? Will it be harder to deal with more roommates? Several Taylor students who are moving into the apartments next year said they have hopes and expectations for life away from the dorm.
Junior Laura Craig looks forward to having more space in the apartments than her room in Bergwall. While she knows the KSAC and the DC will be farther away, she is excited for the new experience.
Junior Ashley McGhee hopes her apartment can be a place to enjoy time together with friends. Though she has never roomed with her future apartment mates before, she believes their schedules will be similar due to closley aligned student teaching agendas.
Though he will miss his dorm life, junior Matthew Parks is excited to cook his own meals and establish close friendships with his roommates. He also wishes for more privacy, which he doesn't always have while living in Samuel Morris.
There are a lot of hopes for apartment life, but hopes do not always reflect truth. Senior Jessica Wise currently lives in Wolgemuth Hall, and according to her, it's a great way to transition into adult life. For example, students who live in the aparments often have to make their own meals and have unstructured social schedules. Wise doesn't want to leave Taylor quite yet, but she will be ready when she does because of this learning experience.
Senior Beth Shrontz also enjoys the social climate of apartment living. "My favorite part about (being in the apartments) is definitely growing closer to my roommates and getting to know them," Shrontz said.
She has commuted from home for most of her college years, so living in the apartments has made her feel more connected to on-campus living. She enjoys being closer to academic buildings as well.
Just like there are good things about living in the university apartments, there are unlikable aspects as well. Wise doesn't cook as much as she wants, and according to her, the four roommates constantly battle about room temperature.
Shrontz also knows about the struggles of living in the apartments. According to her, sharing an apartment with three new roommates is a hard adjustment from living in a known, comfortable place.
Despite the changes apartment housing may bring, it is a worthwhile experience. Some students want to move off campus to get away from the dorms, but students can't come in with thoughts of cutting all ties.
Moving to the apartments is the perfect opportunity to practice something new. Wise and Shrontz have enjoyed their time living in the apartments, and they hope future apartment residents will have similar experiences.
