Speaking from firsthand experience, I know exactly how gullible and open-minded students can be when looking for housing. For this reason, it is very easy for students to mistakenly sign a lease which is designed to exploit them more than protect them. Unless they have a family member who works in real estate, students often have no one to turn to when seriously weighing the validity and risk of housing options. I didn’t know to check for statutes protecting tenants and ensuring living basics, such as appliances and furniture. As a sophomore student searching for a place to live with a group of peers, I had absolutely no idea as to what makes a lease good or bad. Similar to those found on the websites of other schools, a page dedicated to “common housing questions you should be asking” or even an off-campus lease checklist are a few examples of resources that would make a huge difference to students. BU students would greatly benefit from a revamped off-campus housing website, one which offers students a variety of pages meant to tackle different areas of the housing process. Oftentimes when first moving off campus, students have little to no guidance in choosing a safe and reliable place to live. From cooking their own food, to cleaning their own bathrooms, to using public transportation, to fixing their own repairs and paying their own utility bills, Binghamton University students experience a big change after they make the decision to move off campus, usually following their sophomore year. For many young people, moving into a house, apartment or any other type of student housing introduces a wide spectrum of newfound chores and responsibilities for them to learn. Not the “real” world preached by parents when their child moves into a dorm - no, the real world where students have nothing to separate themselves from the wild streets of suburban America beyond a squeaky front door and pair of keys. Moving off campus, in many ways, is a student’s first step into the real world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |