So your moving out?
By Louisa Danielson
Going to college is a major step in anyone’s life. But one of the biggest changes to be faced, sometimes, is moving away from home.
How can students best handle the big change? First of all, be prepared. Although the student housing apartments come fully furnished (stove, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, sofa, chairs, table, bed, dresser, desk, internet access and cable, etc.) students need to bring their own sheets (full extra long or queen size), television sets, toasters, and all the other small things that make a place homey. Rubbermaid tubs fit in the closets and students are allowed to put anything on the walls that can be held up with a thumbtack. Heavier items (that need nails or screws) need to be processed through the Cole Commons staff with a work order – they will put in heavier hangers as requested. Staff will also replace light bulbs, fix the equipment in the room (like the ice maker in the refrigerator) and will come when there is an emergency (phone number 481 – 4180).
Students can also prepare for good dorm life by getting to know their neighbors. “Learn about your suitemates – about your hallway,” encourages George McClellan, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “You’re part of creating a community(.)” He suggests that the transition from home to student housing is similar to the switch from high school to college. “It takes a certain amount of courage (to get involved in campus life)” he said. Part of a successful transition should include reaching out to other students, learning about who they are and what their needs are. “There’s lots of people here who want to help, but there’s no one more responsible than you,” McClellan pointed out.
Security on campus is also important. Each resident is issued a gray ‘key fob’ that acts like a card key to allow access into their apartment and the student computer labs. Students are also issued individual metal keys for their separate bedrooms, for extra security. Resident Assistants patrol every hallway three times each night, and there is a monthly health and safety inspection of each apartment to make sure that there isn’t a buildup of garbage and general grime, like mold in the bathroom. Although the buildings are co-ed, each apartment is limited to either women or men – so guys will only have guys for roommates, and women will only have women for roommates. IPFW also limits the number of students per resident assistant to a ratio of 40:1. “(Ours is) better than average,” noted Walt Branson, Vice Chancellor of Financial Affairs, stating that other schools usually have sixty students or more under one resident aid’s care.
Students are given individual, locked mail boxes in the Cole Commons building and they can purchase debit cards to use on the washers and dryers, which are located on every first and third floor of each dorm building. Before new students move in, the staff make sure the apartment is clean. “We definitely make sure it looks brand new when you move in,” said Laura Williams, who has worked as a resident assistant at IPFW for three years.
Finally, there are community programs each month hosted by resident assistants. Everything from canned food drives, movie nights, IPFW Campus Survivor, start of the year cookouts, and Super Bowl parties help students mix and get to know their neighbors. As McClellan put it, “I just think that you came to college to get the most out of it that you can.” And with all that available, you can.
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