This school year has housed the largest freshman class GC has ever seen, and the fight for housing for next school year is already upon the current freshman.
Housing at any university is a challenge. A whole population of students learning to be an adult, looking for a place to live that is affordable, liveable and close to campus is a mountain to climb. Add in the search for roommates that will not invoke breakdowns, and it can become a burden.
Not everyone can get their dream living situation. Milledgeville certainly does not have the quota of desirable beds or housing to meet the perfect wants of every freshman, now more than ever, based on their number. The stress is ramping up for the freshmen.
“Housing is bringing up stress, anxiety and worry,” said Lauren Jones, a freshman psychology major. “Looking for a house has also been a confusing and uncomfortable area of life. There is a lot of uncertainty about what’s going to happen with housing next year.”
Because of the nature of lease agreements, the market in Milledgeville requires its tenants to sign for the following year by November if they want prime or desirable housing. This is not the case for all but for most. Houses, apartments and beds of on-campus options tend to fill up by that time.
“The housing process has definitely brought up some stress,” said Katie Howell, a freshman Spanish major. “I never thought that I would have to decide where to live my sophomore year during the first few months of my freshman year.”
This occurrence throws the entire student body into a pressure cooker as the clock ticks.
Yet, another factor freshmen are biting their nails about is that housing is not often a decision made singularly; roommates have to be found.
“It is crazy how early one has to start looking for housing, especially as a freshman in college, when you are still trying to find a solid friend group and know who you want to live with,” Jones said.
Dr. Larry C. Christenson, executive director of University Housing, confirmed that the number of freshmen has affected the students’ search for housing, without question.
He compared on-campus housing to Taylor Swift tickets, as spots filled up no less than two hours after they opened to freshmen.
GC encourages students to stay on campus for as long as possible, believing that it benefits the students academically and socially. But supply and demand thwart GC’s wishes for their student body, as there are only 2,253 beds and 6,763 total students.
Housing, however, is not content to leave students out for dry when it comes to finding a home. By mid-November, GC is launching a new way to find housing off campus: College Pad.
College Pad is an online one-stop shop for finding safe, affordable housing. Realtors, apartment complexes, GC and even those looking to sublet will have the opportunity to put up their available living spaces on College Pad, making it a convenient singular outlet to find all options for housing in Milledgeville.
Until the website is launched, students will continue their endeavor to find housing in the right place with the right people through apartment complexes, fighting for a bed on campus or a realtor. With any hope, College Pad will significantly aid GC in future years.
Until then, it is off to the races. Good luck, students, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
