Vol. 117, No. 40 Friday, Oct.

14, 2016

Honey, Im Home
Housing Issue| Fall 2016

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Page A2 | Friday, Oct. 14, 2016
CATA BUS
Give me
Or give me
convenience
distance
Living far from campus:
a cautionary tale
By Pete Olin quality and space of the hous-
ing.
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
You might also find yourself
Imagine you have a three spending more time at home.
floor townhouse. You live with The amount of distance makes
five other people, but rent is staying at home easier, so you
cheap and the might make your home seem
house has a lot of like home.
space. The area You might even find yourself
is nice and cooking your own meals, since
peaceful, it feels youre not dead in the center of
like a suburb, a 20 different pizza shops. That
small oasis away might lead to acquiring a health-
from the down- ier lifestyle or greater chef skills
town chaos. Its a along with some money saved.
nice break. Yes, there are positives, but in
Olin
Now imagine if my experience, the negatives far
your friends had outweigh the positives.
to visit, theyd have to pay $1.75 The first problem is being
(another $1.75 for a trip back) more than a 20 minute walk
for a bus ride over. Either that, away from campus.
or present them with a pleasant, I dont mind walking. Its good
not-so-bad, crosstown hike of exercise and the fresh air does
about 45 minutes. They could well for my pores.
probably do it, but would they That does not mean I want to
want to? walk half a mile to class every
Welcome to the woefully
day, especially in the winter. Id
annoying existence of living far probably end up like Jack Nich-
away from campus. It wont ruin olson from the Shining.
your time at Penn State, but it That leaves the bus or the
wont make it easy. student lots near Beaver Stadi-
This is not to say you um for primary transportation
shouldnt live far away from to campus.
campus. There are many posi- Either way, youll be taking a
tives Ive encountered living far bus to the university. Not only
away from the central hub that that, but bus passes cost
may appeal to you. upwards of a few hundred dol-
The atmosphere is calmer lars per semester and gas and
with a more suburban, less cha- parking fees arent cheap either.
otic feeling. Ever realize your schedule
Unlike a dormitory or down- revolves entirely around the bus
town on Saturday night, no one schedule? Its not a pleasant
will be yelling, Penis, out the feeling, especially when you
window as loud as their lungs have to be early or late to every-
will allow. thing by about 20 minutes,
Rent is generally cheaper the depending on the bus schedule.
farther away from downtown There is no perfect timing.
you go and same goes for the Thatll cut heavily into your
Furry friends can offer sense of home
By Donald Cox organization that I got him from
For the Collegian was Service Dog Express. They
took dogs from animal rescue
Every day I wake up to being shelters that needed homes and
bombarded by kisses and being would possibly make great ser-
jumped on, and I wouldnt have vice dogs. When I heard about
it any other way. the organization I looked on the
My days consist site and saw Max; he immedi-
of long walks and ately drew my attention.
trying to wash He bonded with me the next
someone that day and a few days later, he was
wants no part of with me on a flight back to Cali-
being bathed. fornia. Max was with me in Cali-
The commitment fornia while I finished the rest
to have a pet is of the time I had to serve in the
Cox never-ending but Air Force.
worth it none As I transitioned and began
the less. college here at Penn State, I
Maximus is a mix breed of realized how much of a chal-
German Sheppard and Rottwei- lenge it is to have pets and show
ler. I found him while I was visit- them the attention an animal
ing San Antonio, Texas for addi- needs and deserves.
tional military training. The Between college and work it
Donald Cox sits and plays with his dog, Maximus. The German Sheppard and Rottweiler mix has served as a fulfilling companion for Cox as he transitioned to college.
Housing
will to go downtown for fun or
even campus for class.
Likewise, no one will want to
visit you. Why pay the cover
charge of $1.75 for a bus just to
go visit someone? The inconve-
nience factor goes a long way
for college kids.
When every minute is pre-
cious, the bus simply isnt effi-
cient.
The student lots would be a
good option because its pretty
cheap parking. The problem is
you still have to take a Blue
Loop into campus anyway after
a 15 minute drive to the lots in
the first place.
Beyond wasting tons of time
on the bus, youll also never be
downtown to enjoy the atmo-
sphere that State College has
to offer.
There have been so many
instances Ive had to miss
events because it didnt line up
with the amount of time itd
take to get there.
Nothing beats being able to
just hang out with your friends.
With minimal planning you can
just meet up at a restaurant, a
bar, or an apartment.
Whatever it is, if you live far
away, chances are the collec-
tive headache thatll come
from you saying, Oh itll just
be 10 more minutes, Im walk-
ing over, after an hour of wait-
ing will exceed what an entire
bottle of Tylenol cant fix.
Living far away from campus
isnt easy, especially if youre a
busy person. As a cautionary
tale, take my words as an
example. It might
not be for you.
can be at times a real time
crunch to figure out how to give
Max the proper time he needs.
There are nights when I reflect
on my day and realize I just
didnt give Max the amount of
attention I wanted to that day.
But, it makes me try to better
my time management, which is
so critical for every college stu-
dent.
No one can make me as
happy and fulfilled the way Max
can.
Just to wake up in the morn-
ing and have him jump all over
me wanting attention is a real
alarm clock to have.
Whenever Im having a bad
day, its not possible for me to
put into words how happy it
makes me to seeing how excited
he is to see me when Im finally
Dorm prices dont
match amenities
By Kaylee Giacomini
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
Penn State, its time to
change the price of on-campus
housing.
On August 19, I excitedly
drove up to State College
ready to move into my dorm in
Brumbaugh Hall within the
East Residence Hall complex.
I submitted my housing form
knowing that East was not
renowned for its living condi-
tions. In fact, it is even known
by some students as the
freshman tenements.
At the time, I couldnt have
cared less and was excited for
the typical freshman experi-
ence that East Halls provides.
I had visited, seen photos and
even spent a night in an East
Halls dorm prior to moving in,
but what I was faced with
when I arrived at my door left
me severely underwhelmed.
Outside of my first floor win-
dow was a construction project
that is expected to take all
year to complete. Penn State
is notorious for always being
under construction, but it does
not really bother you not until
you are woken up at 8 a.m.
every morning by the cacopho-
ny of machines and beeping. I
cannot go back to my dorm to
study during the day because
of how obnoxious the noise is,
nor can I keep my curtains
open as the workers can
always see in.
All this considered, I have
learned to live with it, and
actually do enjoy seeing the
great progress the new build-
ing behind me is making.
What I cannot live with is
the fact that I am paying the
exact same price as everyone
else living in a traditional,
double dorm room.
The sun sets on the construction of East Halls on Wednesday, Oct. 12.
home. These are the days I real-
ize how much I love him and
treasure being a dog owner.
I wouldnt trade him or those
experiences with him for any-
thing else in this world.
The time commitment can be
a real struggle at times, but it
doesnt even cross my mind if
its worth it or not. No matter
how busy I get in college or life,
in general, I will never consider
not having him.
Hes one of the few things in
my life at the moment that
doesnt stress me out at all. Im
a happier person when Max is
around me.
Hes my best friend, and I
love him just as much as my
family. I cant imagine my life
without him in it.
For people that have never
The Daily Collegian
Universities across the coun-
try charge differently for differ-
ent conditions, and it is time for
Penn State to do the same.
According to the Penn State
Housing, Food Services, and
Residence Life website, a tradi-
tional, double room, such as the
one Im residing in, costs $2,860
per year no matter which dorm
complex it is located in on cam-
pus. That means for my tiny
dorm in East I Halls I am pay-
ing the same as someone in
nicer and newer dorms across
campus. This has got to change.
Apartment complexes and
hotels charge differently for dif-
ferent rooms, but Penn State, as
well as other universities, do
not. It is a typical practice for
lodging and residencies across
the country to charge based on
location, amenities, size, etc.,
but this is hardly taken into
account when housing fees are
distributed at our university.
I chose East Halls and I like
my decision, but it is ridiculous
that I am paying the same rate
as someone with a dorm double
the size who does not share a
two-stall bathroom with 20 other
girls and does not overlook con-
struction. It is ridiculous even
that I am paying the same rate
as other dorms within East. The
$2,860 got some lucky freshman
a view of the mountains, a clos-
er walk to classes, or even a
common area on their floor
while I am stuck waking up at 8
a.m. every morning to the lovely
sound of construction.
Do not let this discourage you
from living on campus, but defi-
nitely take it into consideration
before placing your payment. I
am surviving and thriving in
East Halls but my situation defi-
nitely is not ideal. Next year, I
am hoping $2,860 will get me a
little further.
Chris Sanders/Collegian
had a pet of their own, hopefully
one day they can experience the
joy and satisfaction of being a
pet owner. Ask any owner to put
into words their affection for
their animal and notice how
their face lights up.
Pets are one of the very
things in this world that can
light up any humans day.
For college students, this can
be very crucial for those long
college days that never seem to
end no matter how bad we went
them to.
Every night I go to sleep with
Max cuddling against me while
he tries to spread out so he can
take up the whole bed. There is
no one in this world I would
rather end the day
with than him.
Courtesy of Donald Cox
The Daily Collegian housing Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 | Page A3

Dorms: life in
a small box
By Kara Fesolovich rience I never thought would
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN have turned out to be the bane
of my existence.
The first time I moved into a My only issue was not just the
dorm, it was magical. miniscule size though. Someone
What most students first threw up in the bathroom in an
encounter with obscure place that no one could
dorm living is find in order to clean it up, so
similar to mine we just had to live with the
and happens on stench.
the first day of The stalls were a small, slip-
their first year. pery and smelly place that I
On the first day tried to avoid until absolutely
Collegian File Photo
of summer ses- necessary.
sion 2015, Luckily my roommate and I
The newly renovated Hibbs Hall boasts colorful walls, carpet, kitchens, lounges, and private bathrooms. everything was became great friends, so we
Fesolovich

Perks of on-campus life

new and fasci- were able to joke around about
nating to me the plights of dorm living and
the room, the food, the quad described our situation as being
and even the communal bath- trapped in a small box.
rooms. While this term began as just
By Aubree Rader the HUB-Robeson Center. room with the door propped The room seemed huge and a joke about how ridiculously
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN I do not have to match my open, available to talk. The RA the food seemed like five star small and tight our living space
schedule up with the Centre arranges events stocked with meals. was, we kept referring to the
Communal bathrooms, small Area Transportation Authority free food and entertainment, All of the activities happen- room as this so, over the next
living quarters and the steady bus schedule or leave my dorm two popular favorites among ing on the quad were thrilling semesters, I gradually came to
flow of drama will typically drive an extra 30 minutes early to get many college students. and the communal showers use the term affectionately.
students off of to class on time. were new and unfamiliar. Over- Throughout my first year and
campus dorms Change all, it was a pretty exciting now my second year in a dorm,
and into apart- Cooking The final but sole reason experience. my attitude has changed.
ments come The campus meal plan was for me opting to stay on cam- It was my first time living Sure, the cafeteria tends to
their sophomore another incentive to live on pus an additional year is my away from home and having a have the same food on the buf-
year, but I decid- campus. I am not a great cook reluctance to change. completely different experi- fet day-to-day, but I have that
ed to experience (my mom can attest to that) and I no sooner adjusted to the ence outside of Scranton, Pa. whole buffet of food just steps
living in a college while most of the dining hall dorm lifestyle and ways of col- Clearly, I would have been away from my room.
dorm for two lege before leasing options happy with anything. Maybe the students on the
food grows old by the end of the
Rader extra semesters. semester, one year was not were being advertised every- The glamour of dorm-living quad ignorantly whipping their
After about where. I chose not to make lasted for a few weeks as I Frisbees across the sidewalk
enough time to get my full fix of
three months of adjusting to col- another drastic change so lived in the blissful ignorance were irritating, but theyre just
the West Hall cookies or Pollock
lege life and transitioning from soon. of being a first-semester fresh- trying to have fun and make the
dining hall brunch.
living at home to a dorm, most *** man. most of the good weather.
apartment reality firms opened Cleaning While my time in Pinchot Then, things started to Plus its a shared lawn so who
their leasing terms and were Hall and Hibbs Hall will change for me as I stopped am I to tell them to get off of
accepting applications, but I Along with cooking, I do not looking at my living situation it?
remain a prime setting to
was not prepared. enjoy cleaning either espe- with rose-colored glasses. I still have nothing good to
some of my greatest memo-
The hassle of apartment cially bathrooms. The additional ries, it is time to uproot once My trip to the commons to say about the showers and the
searching, binding leases and year on campus gives me an again and venture off campus eat the food that once looked communal bathrooms. Theyre
competitive nature of the pro- extra year to avoid the dreaded to embrace the last two years like it was made by Chef Ram- awful and just an experience I
cess deterred me from applying chore. It is not my responsibility of my college experience. say himself began to lose its had to go through.
for apartments. to stock the toilet paper or dis- Life is unpredictable the luster as I ate pretty much the However thats just it. I will
I entered the housing lottery infect the toilet seats of the filth campus lottery system may same meal every day. never have another experience
system and was granted a con- it endured from the previous reject you the first round and It did not help that on my like this again in my life.
tract for renovated south halls night of use. accept you the second or you way back from the commons I While dorm-living is not as
during the second round. My may be chosen off of the wait- had to dodge the Frisbees my phenomenal as I once thought it
decision to pay more for less Community list for your first apartment fellow students would fling to be, it does represent a unique
space revolved around a few Although the thin walls and choice, but regardless it is not across the sidewalk. and special time in my life that I
factors. the noisy occupants tests my where you live, but rather who The once enchanting quad will remember forever. This is
patience at times, the you live with and how you use made me feel like a grumpy why I wanted to take advantage
Central community atmosphere is the time allotted in old man as I internally yelled of this opportunity before
The largest convenience of comforting. Happy Valley. get off my lawn while throw- its too late.
living in a dorm, for me, is the There is always someone that ing them a dirty look.
central location to academic can be found on the floor either To email reporter: air5445@psu.edu. Then the showers. To email reporter: klf5448@psu.edu.
buildings, downtown shops and in the study lounge or in their Follow her on Twitter at @aubreerader. They became the new expe- Follow her on Twitter at @karafesolovich.
Page A4 | Friday, Oct. 14, 2016
Transitioning from dorm to
apartment: a survival guide
By Paige Woiner
The Daily Collegian
If youre thinking of finally mak-
ing the transition from dorm to
apartment next year, its only nor-
mal to feel stressed out.
Dorm life is so simple and even
youthful.
Your young, freshman days of
squeezing into the dorms and
sharing a shower with who knows
how many other people are
over. Youre finally becoming an
adultsort of.
While it can be scary, this
change definitely has some posi-
tives.
With an apartment, you have
way more space. You can sit out
in your own living room to study
or watch TV. No longer do you
have to do everything from your
bed and desk.
Youll also have a kitchen to
cook your own meals. You are no
The kitchen
The first concern on your list should be the kitchen. Now that you can
cook your own food, your basic essentials will be:
1. Plates
2. Bowls
3. Silverware
4. Cups
5. Silverware
6. Pots and Pans
7. Cooking utensils
8. Dishwashing soap and sponge
9. Weekly groceries
housing The Daily Collegian
longer restricted to dining hall
food.
Youll also have a bathroom
that you only have to share with
your roommates.
No more having to wear flip
flops in the shower or using see
through toilet paper.
However, with these great
changes comes responsibility. The bathroom
With more space, there is al-
ways more stuff to buy. While Now, since you have your own bathroom, youre going to have to
many things you had for your supply it:
dorm can still be used, youre 1. Towels
going to need to make an extra 2. Wash cloths
shopping trip.
When preparing for an apart-
3. Hand and shower soap
ment, the best thing to do is begin 4. Bath mat
looking for one early. Once you 5. Toilet paper
find your new home, youll be able
to plan for what you need more
easily. This move is a big one, but
you wont regret it.
To email reporter: pzw5079@psu.edu.
Follow her on Twitter at @ThePW_.
The living room
Lastly, your living room. These things are not absolutely needed,
but definitely make things more home like:
1. Wall decorations
2. Lamps
3. Table centerpieces
4. Wall lights
5. Couch pillows
The Daily Collegian HOUSING Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 | Page A5

JOIN OUR
RETREAT
FAMILY

Hurry, we fill up fast!

Come take a tour and see why.
Sign your lease online at
RetreatStateCollege.com

300 Waupelani Drive | State College, PA 16801 | 814.231.0871 |

Page A6 | Friday, Oct. 14, 2016
New housing options on the rise
New housing will offer
students more options
at a premium house.
By Leif Greiss
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
New and luxurious housing is
coming to State College for the
students who can pay the rent.
State College will have around
1,000 more beds once all four
housing projects are completed,
Borough of State College Mayor
Elizabeth Goreham said.
Theyre not going to reduce
the cost of housing, Goreham
said. State College is not a cheap
place to live whether you are
renting or buying a house.
The Metropolitan, at the inter-
section of College Avenue and
Atherton Street, is set to be com-
pleted in July 2017, Edward Le
Clear, the Director of Planning
and Community Development in
State College, said.
According to the Metropolitans
website, rent is on a per bed basis
and, depending on the floor plan,
range from $790 to $1,475 per
month.
Le Clear said the apartments
are primarily aimed at under-
graduate students.
The Metropolitan is owned
by Landmark Properties, which
also owns the Retreat at 300 Wau-
pelani Dr.
The Rise, which is slated to
be completed in 2018 will be lo-
cated at 538 E. College Ave.,
formerly the locations of the
Kildares Irish Pub and the
Colony Apartments.
The Rise will be 11 stories tall
and contain about 186 residential
units, as well as an Urban Market
Grocery store, according to the
Centre Daily Times.
There will be an Urban Market,
a grocery store that will sell local-
ly sourced produce and meat as
well as pre-made food on the first
floor, amenities for residents on
the second floor and upper floors
will be devoted to residences.
housing The Daily Collegian
Goreham said the Rise will of-
fer housing aimed at undergradu-
ate and graduate students, as
well as young professionals.
There is currently no
information available about what
rent will be, but Le Clear said
he expects it to be about market
rate.
According to the United States
Census Bureau, the average
gross rent in the Borough of State
College between 2010 and 2014
was $947, which is over $50 more
than the average gross rent in
Centre County and $27 more than
U.S.s average gross rent.
Le Clear said the rent at the
new apartments are set at what
the market will bear and are
priced within the same range as
apartments with similar proxim-
ity to campus and high end ame-
nities.
On campus though, renova-
tions and construction are still
underway on the East Residence
Halls. Antonella Crescimbeni/Collegian
According to Penn State Uni- Target opened its doors to welcome co-workers families and people from the State College community on
versity, the project is expected to
be finished in August of 2017 and
Tuesday, Oct. 4.
once completed will be able to
house 4,570 students. Other reno-
vations include those to Stuart
Hall, additions to Findlay Dining
Commons and an entirely new
residence hall building.
The Fraser Centre, once com-
pleted, will feature condomini-
ums on the upper floors, though
Le Clear said he expects them to
be very expensive.
A yet unnamed project is
planned for East Beaver Avenue,
at the current location of Canyon
Pizza.
It is expected to be seven
stories tall and contain 40 resi-
dences, as well as retail space
on the first floor and office space
on upper floors. However, the
building is yet to be approved
by the borough, and is about six
months out from being approved
Le Clear said.
To email reporter: lng5099@psu.edu. Rebecca Storch/Collegian
Follow him on Twitter at @Leif_Greiss. A student orders food in the renovated dinning commons in East halls on Thursday, Aug. 25.
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The Daily Collegian housing Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 | Page A7

It doesnt matter where you live, Living

alone has
it matters the people you live with
its perks
By Hannah Sarisohn Watts Hall introduced me to two Take this In Happy Valley, planning
Living alone was, at first, just
The Daily COLLEGIAN smart, kind girls I never would senior year housing was
have met otherwise. Living with wisdom from an anything but calm. We began
a decision about simplicity.
After my freshman year, I
If theres anything Ive new roommates forced me to old, washed up planning our senior year hous-
knew I didnt
learned about myself since com- keep my sliver of the room ing arrangements in the spring
ing to college, its that I can clean, and overall be more senior it doesnt of our sophomore year, and
really want to
venture into the
adapt easily to almost any situa- respectful of our space. That fall matter. If you dont fought mercilessly about where
world of down-
tion Im put in semester I proved to myself how we should live. Figuring out
especially when capable I was of getting along get your first, housing cost my friends and I
town living yet.
So, after care-
it comes to living with just about anyone, and how second or even so much time and it compro-
fully consider-
situations. my mind-set mattered more mised too many relationships.
Between school, than anything else. third choice of Its sad to say, but it brought
ing all of the on-
campus options,
studying and When I interned in Jerusalem housing, you will out the worst in us. Now that
Ross I found East-
working abroad, for two months I lived in a were almost three months into
Ive had three small, cramped apartment that live somewhere senior year and happy in our
view Terrace to
be the most appealing.
dorm rooms, four was shared with the family of and create housing situations, I can see I was not necessarily against
Sarisohn apartments and roaches that resided under the how ridiculously stupid our
20 roommates. kitchen cabinets. I knew every memories in that arguments were. It wasnt
having a roommate. I had a
great year with my freshman
So yes, I do consider myself to day Id come home from my space. worth any of the time we spent roommate and floormates
be somewhat of an expert on internship and have to dodge a being unhappy with one (shoutout to Nick Baker and
this topic. Tupperware placed strategically Hannah Sarisohn another. fourth floor Stone), but the
Where you live doesnt matter, over one of those said roaches, Position Take this wisdom from an advantages of Eastview were
its the mindset you have and but I also knew Id come home old, washed up senior it too much to pass on. Though
the people youre with. to the five most incredible room- complained more than I needed doesnt matter. the rate was more expensive
My on-campus housing con- mates who made my summer to about the 1.8 mile walk to the If you dont get your first, than any other dorm complex,
tract sophomore year placed me experience what it was. Collegian office. second or even third choice of we were also provided with a
in a triple with two girls that I We suffered through 109 degree The streets were too dark and housing, you will live some- monthly cleaning of the bath-
didnt know. Christina and heat without air conditioning, empty, and I often ended up where and create memories in room, carpeted floors and ac-
Allyiah were close friends from but dealt with it by laying under walking alone. But for all of that, that space. cess to a small kitchen area.
freshman year, and the first bags of frozen vegetables. I was rewarded with roommates I work absurd hours at the All of that was nice, sure, but
time I met them was the day we Despite the apartment that con- who were always down to pro- Collegian and at times I go the best part of it was the peace
moved in. I admit in the weeks stantly seemed to fall apart, its crastinate homework with days without actually seeing and quiet of living alone. Again,
leading up to sophomore year moments like that that make me rounds of Just Dance and my roommates. When I have I loved my freshman year, but
I was less than thrilled at hav- grateful for apartment 4019. Dancemoms marathons. Hav- weeks like that, its not my since that time spent in East-
ing to go through random room- My junior year, I lived a few ing roommates who believe reli- apartment I care about seeing view, I have made the choice to
mates again, but living in 102 blocks past the Meridian and giously in Taco Tuesdays and when Im done with class on a live alone for the following two
binge watching Harry Potter are Friday. I care about having years and loved every second
far superior to having an easy people who will race me to the of it.
walk to class. front of the line at Cafe and I have always been an intro-
Living in Sutton Court was make nachos with me at 2 a.m. vert, but I enjoy socializing as
another situation I dreaded, but Living with roommates you well. Living alone allows me to
loved and appreciated because dont know, and even living strike that balance. I can spend
of who I shared the apartment with roommates you do know, a large portion of my day in
with. isnt easy. Being thrown into class, working and hanging out
When I studied abroad in situations with people and with friends, and then, after it
Brussels, I learned how to adapt places you dont know isnt is all over, I can come home to
to a new set of roommates who easy. a quiet apartment a few blocks
were from all over the U.S. and Whether it be at school or from downtown to decompress
Europe. abroad every place Ive lived and relax without worrying
Again, I was living with people and every person Ive lived about keeping someone else up
I barely knew and learned to with somehow contributed to or being woken up by a room-
love it. I experienced moments my college experience. I know, mates alarm Living alone is
with these roommates that Ill its as cliche as it gets, but Ive not for everyone, but Im glad
never forget, such as finding out learned from all of it. that I found its for me. Thanks,
about the attacks in Brussels Eastview Terrace.
Courtesy of Hannah Sarisohn
happening blocks away from us To email reporter: hss5109@psu.edu.
My roommates and I in Jerusalem after the first time we figured out as we sat around the kitchen Follow her on Twitter at @hannahsari- To email reporter: gar5143@psu.edu.
how to go grocery shopping in a foreign city. table eating breakfast. sohn. Follow him on Twitter at: @garrett_ross.
Page A8 | Friday, Oct. 14, 2016
APARTMENT STORIES
Members of the Collegian staff share some of their housing horror stories.
Sophomore year, my roommate and I had
the pleasure of having two different bath-
rooms. At first, it was awesome. No mixing
up towels, no shampoo stealing, no suspi-
cious hairs sticking to obtuse angles of the
room. Until the smells began.
My assumption of poor hygiene was too
generous; as it turns out, he had been eat-
ing beef jerky in the shower, but had not
picked up the meat crumbs off the bathroom
floor. An ant colony had since taken advan-
tage of the protein buffet. Worst of all, hed
let them stay there for a few days. In his
words, it was a natural experiment born of
boredom. He earned a slap. The ants earned
their full stomachs.
I was trying to sublet my apartment for
the spring semester while I went abroad.
I spent months looking for someone to
take it, posting on Craigslist, the 2017
class page and even on bulletin boards
throughout campus. Someone on Craig-
slist finally messaged me back, and I was
completely thrilled. To make a long sto-
ry short, the person who messaged me
was really shady -- there were very few
ways to contact them, and they refused to
talk to me over the phone, only by text.
Soon I realized -- I was being scammed.
I dropped them immediately, but I had
wasted a ton of time thinking that I had
found someone to sublet my place, and I
had to start from square one.
People often rail against sexiling, but the
only thing harder than being sexiled is not
being sexiled, something I -- unfortunately --
learned during my freshman year.
One Saturday night, I returned home to
find my roommate in bed with someone; they
werent still in the process of hooking up, and
my roommate assured me I would be okay to
sleep in my bed.
The next morning, I awoke to the very dis-
tinctive sounds of two people having sex. And
let me tell you, the only thing worse than
waking up early after a night of drinking
is waking up early after a night of drinking
and having a strangers pale, bare ass be the
first thing you see. To make matters worse,
I couldnt get up and leave until after the
encounter...finished.
housing The Daily Collegian
Last year, my roommates had
jokingly discussed getting a dog
because our apartment was so
big. The next day, I walked into
the house and a small dog ran up
to my feet.
Without telling me or my other
roommate, my third roommate
drove almost two hours and
bought a dog that she found on
Craigslist. I then had to find way
to tell her I was allergic to dogs.
After living on campus for two years, find-
ing an apartment for junior year has become
more difficult than ever anticipated. The
three of us never knew how fast paced the ap-
plication process was, on top of the fees and
down payments needed. Apartment hunting
can be wrapped up in two words: extensive
and expensive.
Something we never foresaw was how dif-
ficult it would be to find an apartment for
three people still within our price range: un-
der six hundred a month. Come to find out,
we are too far deep into the process to find a
fourth person and even so, everyone already
has their living situation set up for next year.
Were floating down the apartment river
without a paddle.
During my sophomore year, I decided to
transfer from Altoona to Brandywine. My
lease still had six months on it, so I had to find a
subletter.
Two weeks before the semester begins, the
subletter advises us that he will not be mov-
ing in. Even though we had already signed
the moving-out walk through papers, my
landlord said that I would now have to pay
that semesters rent. I refused, and she said
she would pursue legal action against me.
My landlord ended up calling my girlfriends
father, who also happens to be a very good
lawyer with a background in rental proper-
ty law. I called her on her bluff, and I never
heard from her again.
Needless to say I never got
my deposit back.
The Daily Collegian
Making a home away from home
By Madeline Messa
The Daily Collegian
Dorms are bland when you
first move in and can have a sort
of jail vibe. If you do things right,
though, they can feel comfortable,
with a sense of home and a flash
of personality. Dorms should be
a home away from home, where
you can relax, study, and have
friends over.
Move the Furniture
The first thing youll notice
when you open the door to your
new dorm, is the small size of
the room. Rearranging furniture
can give the cramped space an
upgrade. Consult with your room-
mate and test different furniture
positions. You can move your
desks and beds to make room for
a central floor area. Its best to
have furniture off to the side, with
an open space at the door; it will
feel less cramped and look more
organized.
You can even loft your bed
to create a place to store your
belongings underneath. Some
dorms have the materials to loft
beds in them, but not all. Bed ris-
ers are also a cheap way to raise
beds up and allow for storage un-
derneath.
Be Multifunctional
Speaking of storage, it never
hurts to be multifunctional. Find
items that serve several pur-
poses. I got a lamp for my room
that also works as a pencil holder,
and it has an outlet and USB port
on it. Storage ottomans can be a
lifesaver--they provide more seat-
ing options, while giving another
place to keep your belongings.
Avoid Bare Walls
As ideal as it would be, not ev-
erything has to have a function.
Dorm walls are blank, and you
arent allowed to use nails or
thumb tacks. A way around this
is using wall decals. Wall decals
are cheap sticker decorations
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Loftable Beds in ALL UNITS!!!
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Madeline Messa sits on her bed in her decorated Simmons dorm room. Not every dorm has to have bland, white
walls. the best way to feel at home is to decorate.
that can transform your room.
Theyre also allowed--theyre
easy to apply and can be peeled
off in a few seconds when you
move out. Sticky putty is allowed,
too, so be sure to hang up some
posters.
Lights Everywhere
Light up your room with per-
sonality by using lights. Its al-
ways better to have multiple
lighting options; you may not
want your whole room lit up at
night.
String lights give off a fun vibe
and can be hung up with ease.
Neon signs, though not the best
light source, can be a great way
for 2017/2018
housing
to add some personality to your
side of the room.
Rugs
Use rugs to warm up cold floors
in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Use either a large rug to cover
the whole floor, or a small one to
accompany your side of the room.
Something I did was duct tape
four bath rugs together.
They were cheap and I liked
the idea of having a soft place to
stand when I first woke up in the
morning.
Individually, the rugs were
small, but I put them together to
make a decent-sized rug that had
a pattern I chose.
Madeline Messa/Collegian
Do a Double-Take with
Washi Tape
Washi tape is a cheap, decora-
tive tape you can use to person-
alize your dorm. Turn your plain
mini fridge into a unique mas-
terpiece, spell out your name on
your closet, put patterns on your
walls. Washi tape is easily remov-
able; whatever you want to do
with it, only your artistic skills set
the limit.
Coordinate with your
Roommate
If you and your roommate are
both set on making your room
Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 | Page A9
stand out from others, coordinate
with each other and come up with
matching colors and styles. If you
collaborate, your dorm should
look like one person decorated it
and there wont be a way to tell
where one roommates side ends
and the others begins. Come up
with matching themes; if you both
like the same television show or
colors, use them. And, of course,
theres always the infamous Nit-
tany Lion and Penn State blue
and white if you want to share
your school spirit.
Make it a Home Away
From Home
Living at school may sound like
a weird concept. Make it feel like
home by bringing familiar items
from home. Hang up pictures so
your family and pets are still with
you. Bring your favorite blanket,
things that make you feel at ease.
Unfortunately, you cant bring
your pets to live with you (besides
small fish). Maybe do what I did
and find stuffed animal replicas
of them. In the end, your dorm
shouldnt feel foreign. It should
have the comforts of home, while
also being a great place to study.
Improvise
While shopping for items to
stock your dorm with, and even
when moving in, youll probably
think of some ideas of your own.
Improvising and following your
impulses can be the best way to
ensure your room reflects your
personality. Try out different
things and find what works for
you.
***
In the end, do what feels right.
Try all these methods and some
of your own. After youve finished
moving in, your dorm should be
unrecognizable as the bland and
deterring room it was when you
first walked in. Create the perfect
place for yourself to feel at home,
hang out, study, relax, and--most
importantly-- live.
Page A10 | Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 HOUSING The Daily Collegian

Pets-ylvania
state
University

Georgi DeCarmine /Collegian

Ben Shaw, 21, of State College, looks down at his bearded dragon, Dean, outside of Starbucks on West College
Ave. on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Shaw works full time at Starbucks but when he is not working, he likes to take
Dean wherever he goes. Shaw mentions the best part of having Dean is how he puts a smile on every strangers
face when they walk by.

Joseph DiDomenico/Collegian
Kahluas, the Snapchat famous kitten, owners give her much attention and scratches on Thursday, Oct. 6.

Collegian File Photo Linsey Fagan /Collegian

Anna Gundersen poses with 2-year-old laborador-mix Kezzy at Coopers Pond Apartments on Saturday, Jan. 17. Lexi Baldwin, 4, of State College, pets Boo the Big White Dog at the
Parade of Heroes during 4th Fest on Monday, July 4.

Joseph DiDomenico/Collegian Antonella Crescimbeni/Collegian

Kahlua made a quick recovery from her surgery, on Thursday, Oct. 6. A group of Nigerian dwarf goats eat from the grass on Friday, Sept. 2.