The State News, Spring 2025 Housing Guide

Michigan State’s Independent Voice

T UESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025

STAT E N EWS.CO M

SPRING 2025 HOUSING GUIDE

Illustration by Addison Ogburn.

COLUMN: The art of the house party

Here’s your sign: Places to live based on your zodiac

Students struggle to find housing post-graduation

Our columnist explores the rampantly hedonistic house party stereotype.

Which on-campus dorm should you live in based off of your star sign?

MSU seniors and recent graduates discuss the process of finding housing post-graduation.

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T H E STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, F EBRUARY 25, 2025

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025 Vol. 115 | No. 15

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CONTACT THE STATE NEWS

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Michigan State senior Lauren Hsu hugs associate head coach Nicole Jones after her successful vault at Jenison Field House on Feb. 22, 2025 Photo by Kaiden Ellis.

FE E DBACK@STAT E N EWS.COM

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AKERS HALL

UNIVERSITY VILLAGE APARTMENTS

MULTICULTURAL CENTER

Named in honor of Forest Akers, Akers Hall was built in 1964. Akers was a former student who, in 1907, was also accused of detonating a powder keg on campus, interrupting a speech given by President Theodore Roosevelt. Photo by Fatih Gorkem Imamoglu.

University Village on Feb. 22, 2025. Built in 2007 and open to sophomores and upperclassmen, the University Village apartments are located a short walk from the Breslin Center and are an attractive option for many students.

Photo by Finn Gomez.

1964

2007 2025

MSU’s freestanding Multicultural Center in East Lansing, Michigan on Jan. 29, 2025. Sought by students for decades and a first of its kind on campus, the Multicultural Center opened its doors in February this year. Photo by Matthew Williams.

Michigan State’s residential and academic facilities span the historical gamut; from notable landmarks to brand-new additions, the buildings around campus each have a story of their own.

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MSU SANCTIONS FIVE FRATERNITIES; REASONS UNCLEAR

The Student Services Building. State News file photo.

By Owen McCarthy omccarthy@statenews.com Michigan State University has sanctioned five fraternities for violating student organization code of conduct policies, though more specific details are minimal on why the disciplinary actions were taken and what exactly they entail.

Among the affected fraternities are Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, according to the university’s web page listing the fraternities and sororities under disciplinary statuses. A day before the sanctions went into effect on Jan. 31, The State News published a story detailing police reports of hazing and sexual abuse allegations at those fraternities and others.

The other three fraternities sanctioned by MSU late last month were FarmHouse, Phi Kappa Psi and Psi Upsilon.

MSU student life and engagement administrators did not directly answer questions from The State News on what the implications of the disciplinary actions on the fraternities are. However, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life ShirDonna Lawrence did say fraternities on probation are subjected to heightened “observation and evaluation.”

Sigma Alpha Epsilon was the only fraternity in the group to receive a disciplinary status other than probation. Rather, the fraternity was placed under “deferred loss of registration,” which Lawrence said means the fraternity will lose its affiliation with the university if it commits any further infraction or fails to comply with sanctions MSU placed

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T H E STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, F EBRUARY 25, 2025

on it. Lawrence declined to say what those sanctions are.

SAE will maintain its deferred loss of registration status until Dec. 31, 2026, according to the MSU web page.

Lawrence said the disciplinary action was taken because SAE was found, “based on a preponderance of evidence, to be in violation of the Student Organization Code of Conduct,” but declined to provide further information on the nature of the violations.

Kat Cooper, the chief communications officer for the office of Student Life and Engagement, said that information can’t be disclosed because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. That law prevents educational institutions that receive federal funding from releasing information from students’ education records without their consent.

Reached for comment by email, SAE’s listedpresident, Max Cibor, said to contact the fraternity chapter’s national organization.

The State News emailed a list of questions to the national organization and did not receive a response.

The four other fraternities were placed on probation. That status will last until Dec. 31, 2025, for FarmHouse and Phi Kappa Psi, and until Dec. 31, 2026, for Pi Kappa Alpha and Psi Upsilon.

Cameron Lynch, Lukasz Strzelczyk, Frederic Fresard and Austin Idziak — the respective listed-presidents of the fraternities — did not respond to requests for comment.

S e n i o r R e p o r t e r A l e x Wa l t e r s contributed reporting.

COLUMN: THE ART OF THE HOUSE PARTY

Partygoers smile for a photo at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

By Jack Williams jwilliams@statenews.com Phoenix was packed last Saturday — or maybe it wasn’t. The 29-person cooperative house navigates more like a labyrinth, so it was hard to tell if there were a lot of people or if the house was playing tricks on me.

There were two cops outside handing someone an infraction when I arrived, which was around 10 p.m., about an hour after the party started.

Someone began telling people gathered outside that they either “needed to go inside or leave” due to the noise, and most people followed. By the time I left hours later, the lawn was refilled with people — maybe even more than earlier.

The basement was warm enough to forget how cold it was outside. It’s a different feeling to step into that kind of party. The music was live, hard rock that eventually faded into the back of my mind the longer I stayed. The performers were illuminated by LED lights, the main light sources for the entire room. I could see what was directly in front of me, just not enough to pick anyone out of a crowd if I wanted to — a task I found myself attempting to do while looking for Daniel, my photographer.

The walls (and not just the ones in the basement as I later came to find out) were

marked with hand-painted designs depicting abstract faces and curvilinear shapes that seemed vaguely reminiscent of an acid-fueled Beatles movie. It was a perfect venue for the event, so much so that I asked myself, do people really live here?

This isn’t the scene most people think of when imagining a Michigan State University student’s weekend. Weekend nights are for long lines outside The Riv or house parties. However, the mention of a typical college party brings an image to mind, a mood even. One not dissimilar to this:

State News file photo.

The funnel. The drops of beer. The boisterous men on the rooftop encouraging it all. The congregation of fresh adults, some of whom are breathing their first breath of freedom, requires no order. There is as much of an art to these parties as there is to a Coors Light. This is and has been the college party, and many have not needed much more.

The college party has become synonymous with “The Frat Party” which, in turn, has evolved into something other than simply a party thrown by fraternity members. Because if we take those parties and remove the kegs and what seems like the same songs being played over and over again, there exists a goal of these parties that is understood by most in attendance but rarely discussed formally.

It’s the same goal that creates an unwritten list directing women to steer clear of certain frats, designating one the title of being safe and another not. It’s guided by conservative values that tell certain young men that their surroundings are something that should be controlled and hegemonized according to what they want. The Frat Party then, in this inception, is only welcoming, or safe, for a select group of people.

It’s no secret where the need for control leads.

People get hurt, people get assaulted, people get FE E DBACK@STAT E N EWS.COM

killed. At best, those whose clothing, body types, gender or sexual orientation don’t fit the bill are kicked to the curb.

And yet, college students finding a place to party on the weekends is inevitable. If history tells us anything, it’s that if people are rejected from one space, they’re just going to find another.

That space, branching off from the late nights of Grand River, more often than not ends up being found in cooperative housing: the necessary alternative to the fraternity and sorority. Co-ops (as they’re shortened to) aren’t explicitly founded on the basis of being an alternative to Greek life, but the established purpose of explicitly not discriminating based on identity almost forces the community into an antithetical role.

There are 17 co-ops listed on the Spartan Housing Cooperative website, each with its own name (some named after the likes of David Bowie and Miles Davis). They’re affordable by design.

Not all of them throw parties.

But when they do, it’s an event.

Phoenix had a couple bands play when I visited — most of them being some kind of rock or punk, which was in line with the ‘cute punk’ theme for Valentine’s Day.

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FROM PAGE 7:

THE ART OF THE HOUSE PARTY Punk isn’t a style I’ve ever gotten into, but after some experimentation, I was eventually content with what I threw together: a leather jacket layered with a zip-up hoodie, black pants, and some silver jewelry. I was proud of the outfit, but part of going to co-op parties is accepting that someone there will interpret the theme better than you did and put together a better outfit because of it.

The reason being that people plan ahead. Not just the people in attendance, but the people running the show. Before the party, I talked to AJ Schicht, a fourth-year at Michigan State University and the vice president of membership for the Spartan Housing Cooperative.

He told me that during the morning before a party, the students set up in accordance with details decided weeks or perhaps even months ago.

And almost like clockwork, each member of the 20-something person cooperative housing unit is assigned a chore that they are held to for the hours leading up to, during, and after the party.

Chores look different depending on

Junior Cooper Randall singer of the band Faceless performs for a full house at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

the party. Soundproofing rooms so a techno artist may be able to perform in the basement without impeding on the Midwest emo band upstairs, assigning members to clean up the after-party mess and having people at the door to let people in are common job assignments. It’s a system co-opers draw from their day-to-day lives.

AJ lives in Vesta and is often involved in the more bureaucratic aspects of party planning, which involve theme-setting, finding musicians, settling on a date and designating rooms for people to be in.

Because co-ops are, at their core, made of people entering into a financial and moral agreement, I find that there’s a strong sense of kinship in these houses. Even if not everyone completely knows or talks to each other all that much, they always have the house to maintain, a common goal to keep in mind.

While I was talking to AJ over the phone, he at one point had to shush a slowly-building congregation of lively housemates, “I love you all, but can y’all go somewhere else?” he said. The sentiment is re ected in the

party: “If someone is not feeling well, if someone’s sick, we’re taking care of them.”

Leda Celeste, a 21-year-old living in Bower, was exposed to co-op culture earlier than most. She entered the co-op scene when she was about 8 years old, living in Shire with her parents. She moved around a fair bit but stayed in co-ops for affordability.

“It’s been a consistent option for me,” she said.

The parties were consistent, too, which is something she’s enjoyed over the years. She sees the party as an outlet for creativity, a way for artists to let their creative juices ow. Because for performers, this might be the only space to do that before they enter their adult lives.

Across the multiple co-ops she’s bounced between, she’s also seen a space for communities to connect, most notably queer communities. It removes expectations typically placed on people in other spaces. There’s no one way to dress, express, or be.

I’ve also noticed co-opers quite simply care about the safety of their membership and those in attendance.

Guests shout along with Faceless, a band performing at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

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T HE STAT E NEWS

TU ESDAY, F EBRUARY 25, 2025

Harper McNamara, guitarist of Grassland Reptiles, plays for a crowd at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

Partygoers pose for a portrait at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025. The group said they have been frequenting cooperative parties for over two years. Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

Houses generally have Narcan and participate in sexual assault prevention training. In Phoenix’s upstairs bathroom, there’s a placard that reads “Phoenix Haus Consent” and lists the four Cs of consent: clear, continuous, coercion-free and conscious.

I don’t actually know how effective such a reminder is — I don’t have data on hand for that sort of thing, and I never asked for it. And it’s not to say that co-ops and their parties are utopian. But I do know I’d never find a sign like that at most other house parties.

The co-op philosophy then creates a space meant for enjoyment, something that seems so simple when I think about how far we’ve collectively strayed from the mission of the party. It’s a space where, for a few hours, a multi-storied house can become a world independent from the world outside the window, one where each occupant has agreed to bring in only what they want.

They’re not pretending to be something they’re not; they’re just letting out parts of themselves that lie dormant throughout the rest of the week.

What is the goal of a party if not that?

Zach Oliver, a student and musician, called it social reprieve. His friend Sameer Saraswat, a techno artist, called it an outlet; there’s more to it than just Dionysian indulgence, he said. People get wound up during the week, and the party can and should serve these functions. The idea has been echoed to me by various DJs and people who attend.

But the essentiality of such a reprieve is, maybe unsurprisingly, found in the music. The idea of starting a music booking company was thus on Zach’s mind for some time before he started The Cadre with Sameer and his other friend James Connor Ziadeh, who goes by Connor.

The Midwest emo scene, more specifically booking companies, wasn’t new for them with the presence of spaces like The Goblin Zone, a house-booking show run out of Lansing. The Cadre was initially on track to become something similar, but Sameer was more drawn

toward electronic music.

“I’ve always liked guitar music,” he said to me in conversation with Zach and Connor at Haraz Coffee House a few weeks ago. “But you can’t dance to it.”

Electronic music, on the other hand, is almost made with the intent to get people to move. It’s music created directly in front of its audience — it’s a lot more personal, says Sameer. Yet as much as he wanted to book shows on top of creating music, he admitted that he didn’t have it in him to do all the bureaucratic stuff. Zach did.

The Cadre, then, came into fruition in August 2024, primarily utilizing co-ops as spaces for them to put on music, something that works well when considering the popularity of dance and techno music in the co-op scene. For Zach, however, there was a deeper goal beyond music and dancing, one he kept returning to when we spoke.

The three of them were no strangers to the reputation “The Frat Party” has developed — exclusionary and unsafe.

So, Zach set out to make The Cadre as accessible as possible. And much like the co-ops, the mission was not to be the antithesis of frat parties, but the very nature of being more accepting brings the conversation back to it. Zach acknowledged that the perception of frat parties isn’t allencompassing, but it’s enough.

It’s a hard thing; I’ve been to frat parties where the men are kind and there’s a welcoming atmosphere. I’ve also been to frat parties where I’ve overheard people say, “don’t worry about him, he’s gay.”

I’ve also been to frat parties where men get overly aggressive with women on the front lawn while their brothers watch with indifference.

It’s a headache to worry about how one might be treated just as much as it’s a headache to keep a mental list of which ones are “safe” to go to and which ones aren’t.

The mission for Zach is to ascertain people as being safe and let them in if they are.

Inside parties put on by The Cadre — if they can even be called that since

Zach likes to set them up as concerts out of respect for the artists (although even he can’t fool himself that the events are treated like parties by those in attendance) — the three try to emulate a rave. They’re good at it too. People are packed together but still with enough room to move their bodies without disrupting the people next to them, and the music certainly supplements that experience. They follow the PLUR mantra, an acronym popular in the techno/rave community which stands for peace, love, unity and respect. But it’s not something that’s just repeated to the point of exhaustion; it’s an atmosphere, a feeling.

If there’s no PLUR at your party, you’re simply not doing it right.

And contrary to popular portrayal, raves aren’t filled to the brim with drugfueled hedonists. AJ put it in a similar vein: people in co-ops aren’t “all Earthpraising hippies,” which isn’t to say that the co-op life isn’t at least vaguely reminiscent of the collectivism found in the youth counterculture movement of the 1960s (at one point one of the performers at Phoenix quieted the crowd to make sure we knew that “we’re all esh and blood, we’re of the same people”). There’s a focus on togetherness that simply isn’t found at every party.

Electronic music isn’t without its physical effects either. It’s meant to move people, make them dance or otherwise feel like they’re on drugs. There’s an escapism to it, a way for students to get away from sometimes harsh realities, a DJ named Corey Mann told me.

Corey (Fat Jimmy when he’s performing) plays electronic music predominantly at co-op parties when he’s not studying neuroscience during the week. Like the others, he sees music as one of the focal points of a good party, once again positing the party in this conception as being opposed to “The Frat Party” with their, as he said, “top 40 music,” music that is often admitted by frat men themselves as being awful. But hey, if the party isn’t about the music, then who cares if it’s awful?

FE E DBACK@STAT E N EWS.COM

If music is one half of the artistic pursuits found at the co-op party, then fashion is the other. There’s something special about loads of people all agreeing to dress according to theme. Corey, estimating 50% of the crowds at co-op parties are part of the LGBTQ+ community, said that their distinctive taste in the arts is what makes it great.

Since going to Phoenix, I’ve been thinking about something Sameer said: “The art of the party is getting people to be the most human they can be, to feel the most connected to other people that you can be. We’re inviting people to be vulnerable, to look silly, to do a dumb dance move, and then to look around and see that everyone else is doing the same dumb dance move, because the track is f—— crazy.”

There’s art found in the music, as much as there is in the fashion, as much as there is in the practicalities of organizing such events.

As complicated as it is, the night ends with me walking home under the familiar lights of Grand River Avenue, dressed like a punk out of the ‘70s. I looked like a caveman that slipped through time, frantically looking for some type of pleasure that doesn’t exist anymore.

When I made it home, the eyeliner I had applied to my upper waterline was smudged around my eyes. I did a quick, lazy wipe and went to bed. My experience then only culminates in the night fading into a blur of bright primary colors and noise as time passes. I struggle to even make out the faces of the people I met lest I be reminded by a stranger’s passing glance on my way to class weeks later.

TUES DAY, F EB RUARY 25, 2025

Trent Cramer, drummer of Faceless, plays for a crowd at Phoenix House Cooperative in East Lansing, Michigan during their Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 15, 2025.

Photo by Daniel Schoenherr.

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Students combat homesickness through dorm decor, family connections Photo Illustration by Zachary Balcoff.

By Melody Meyer mmeyer@statenews.com For many students, college is the first time they have had to live on their own. Whether they grew up around East Lansing or traveled from across the globe to attend Michigan State University, it is natural for all students to feel homesick while they are living on campus.

Every student has their own method of dealing with the emotions that come with being separated from their communities, from keeping in touch with friends and family, to decorating dorm rooms, to making new friends.

“One of the biggest things I do is FaceTime different members of my family who are at home,” kinesiology freshman Luke Whittaker said. “It keeps our connection strong and it feels like I can still see them all the time.”

FaceTime and other forms of video calls are especially helpful in combating homesickness, explained neuroscience freshman Nethra Ganesh. The ability to hold conversations while both hearing and seeing the people on the other side of the screen can help them feel closer together even while they are physically distant.

“FaceTime has kind of been my savior this year,” Ganesh said.

College life can be very busy for most students, and sometimes it can be hard to find time to set aside for a phone call, Ganesh said. Even when she does not have a chance to talk to her family in real time, she still makes an effort to communicate with them in other ways each day.

“If I can’t call my family, I’ll send them a little update at the end of the day,” Ganesh said. “We have a family group chat that we text all the time.”

Communities back home are made up 10

T H E STAT E N EWS

of more than just the important humans in students’ lives. FaceTime calls are not exclusively reserved for only the people back at home, said landscape architecture sophomore Alex Anderson.

“Whenever I feel lonely, I get my parents to FaceTime me so I can see my cat,” Anderson said.

Students also decorate their dorms with items that remind them of home. Arts and humanities freshman Halle Drennan said pictures are a good way to see the people that she loves every day.

“I hang up pictures that my friends have made, and it’s nice being able to look at that. What helps me the most is knowing that I have people who support me back at home.”

Megan Walters Astrophysics freshman

“It helps being able to look at them and remember that they’re there,” Drennan said.

These pictures serve as physical reminders of the important people in students’ lives.

Social relations and policy freshman Izzy Ahme said that in addition to having framed pictures of her friends and family, she also has pictures of them saved as her phone’s home and lock screens.

“Even though I’m an hour away, sometimes

TU ESDAY, F EBRUARY 25, 2025

it does get hard to not be with them everyday and to not see them,” Ahme said.

Items from friends and family can double as personal decor in students’ dorms as well as mementos of some of their favorite people and memories from home, explained astrophysics freshman Megan Walters.

“It’s nice to have things from the people that you love,” Walters said. “I hang up pictures that my friends have made, and it’s nice being able to look at that. What helps me the most is knowing that I have people who support me back at home.”

Ganesh said that she keeps gifts from her parents in her dorm.

“My parents gave me a mug when I moved in, it has a bunch of phrases about how they love me and how they’re proud of me, and I love to look at it every day,” Ganesh said.

Other popular items that comfort students are stuffed animals or things that have been with them since childhood. Psychology freshman Ariana Hernandez said bringing

stuffed animals to college has helped with the transition to living in a new environment.

Some students even bring their pets from home with them.

Computer science freshman Iker Vazquez said that branching out and trying new things was a big part of what made his adjustment to college easier.

“The main thing that has helped is to make friends here, joining clubs,” Vasquez said. “I already have some friends from home that also go to MSU, which is a huge help as well.”

Vasquez said that trying new things is a great way to make the most of your college experience. Though students can feel lonely when making the transition to an unfamiliar place, especially to a campus as large as MSU’s, there are many opportunities for students to discover new hobbies and to connect with people who share similar interests.

“There are a ton of things you can do in college, there’s always something for everyone,” Vasquez said.

HERE’S YOUR SIGN: PLACES TO LIVE ON CAMPUS BASED ON YOUR ZODIAC

By Ria Gupta rgupta@statenews.com

Are you choosing your on-campus home for next school year? It’s a tricky decision, but you need not look further than the definitive — and 100% foolproof — determinant: your astrological sign.

ARIES - Akers Hall

Aries are rambunctious, impulsive and overall fun-loving creatures with little regard for things like rules. There’s little place else on campus that allows for the same other than Akers Hall, where civility and quadstyle dorms are mutually exclusive.

TAURUS - Mason Hall

Mason Hall is located near the quieter end of Grand River Avenue but still provides quick access to East Lansing’s vibrant downtown.

Near two bus lines and The Gallery dining hall, it’s no hard feat to establish the routine that so many Tauruses crave. The hall is also close to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, which will satisfy their need to appreciate the finer things in life.

GEMINI - Case Hall

Geminis are often mischaracterized as twofaced, although a more accurate description would be open-minded, even if they verge on becoming a Devil’s advocate. That phrase

isn’t unfamiliar to many of the James Madison College students who take up the primary residence of Case Hall.

CANCER - Owen Hall

Owen Hall is famous on campus for its all-single dorms. For the sensitive Cancer, prioritizing alone time can do wonders. It’s one of the quieter living spaces on campus, but has the convenience of being close to the CATA bus station.

LEO - Landon Hall

When those first, real signs of spring hit campus, there’s not hing bet ter than skipping class to meet friends on Adams Field right in front of Landon Hall.

Leos love their big, open spaces where they can keep an eye on the action, like sun-soaking lions in nature documentaries. The hall’s proximity to the MSU Union and Grand River Avenue is sure to keep the fire sign entertained.

VIRGO - Phillips Hall

Virgos are detail-oriented, becoming

flustered when they get overwhelmed.

Phillips Hall is conveniently located on the border of North and River Trail Neighborhoods, has access to two bus lines and is one half of The Gallery dining hall.

With so much at Virgos’ disposal, living on campus has never been easier.

LIBRA - Snyder Hall

Libras are known to be dramatic, so the only place on campus that’s perfect for the air sign would be the only hall that houses its own theatre.

The Galler y at Snyder-Phillips also recently introduced hard scoop ice cream and currently has the largest ice cream topping selection on campus — ideal for soothing any waterworks.

It’s a match made in heaven.

SCORPIO - Brody Neighborhood

Scorpios are spontaneous, heavily opinionated and incredibly independent.

Being located in the westernmost part of campus, trekking to class won’t be as daunting for the Scorpio personality-type.

FE E DBACK@STAT E N EWS.COM

SAGITTARIUS - Mayo Hall

Sagittariuses love a scary story. Mayo Hall is one of the few dorm halls on campus that is reportedly haunted, and with their inclination for adventure, these fire signs will enjoy its loaded history.

CAPRICORN - Holden Hall

Capricorns tend to err on the side of seriousness but are more than capable of planning a fun night out when they want to. Located in South Neighborhood, Holden Hall is the best of both worlds with its proximity to sporting events while being on the edge of campus.

AQUARIUS - Shaw Hall

Shaw Hall is located on the banks of the Red Cedar River just across the street from the CATA bus station. Aquarians are inquisitive wanderers that prioritize community, so they understand the need for easy access to transportation. Choosing Shaw Hall leaves no chance for feeling like a fish out of water.

PISCES - McDonel Hall

Pisces are transcendentalists, taking whatever time they may or may not have to escape the confines of the “real world”. The woods behind McDonel Hall have become a student favorite for any and all acts of escapism.

TUES DAY, F EB RUARY 25, 2025

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STUDENTS STRUGGLE TO FIND HOUSING POST-GRADUATION

By Amy Cho acho @statenews.com Students in their senior year of college have a lot on their plate: graduation, finding a job that is the right fit for them, navigating the transition into the “real world” and much more.

On top of that, the pressure of finding a place to live can contribute to the stress of figuring out life after graduation.

Advertising management senior Brooklyn Heath has been looking for housing in Lansing due to landing a new job in the area after graduation in the upcoming months. She said the experience of finding housing post-graduation has been difficult for several reasons.

“Honestly, it’s kind of difficult, just financially, and then I would say stress-wise too, just because I’m going into a new phase of my life, so that’s an added stress on top of it,” Heath said. “Also financially, because it’s pretty expensive to find an apartment.”

Supply chain management senior Grace McDermott will be moving to Columbus, OH after graduation for a new job. She said a struggle is being in a completely new environment.

“Other than my roommate, I don’t know anyone in Columbus, and don’t really know where to look,” McDermott said.

On the other hand, spring 2024 graduate Hannah Woehrle left East Lansing for Washington, D.C., and

Illustrations by Addison Ogburn.

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experienced the difficulties of finding housing post-graduation last year. She said the biggest challenge was the difference in housing costs.

“I think one of the big struggles for us was just how much more expensive Washington, D.C. is, compared to East Lansing,” Woehrle said. “I pay double the rent here ...

So I think just off the bat, having to go from rents that’s in the hundreds to rents that’s in the thousands is a huge struggle factor, mentally and financially.”

Woehrle added that living i n a post-g raduate world has exposed her to the more grown-up challenges.

“At least me, personally, I did feel like I was still relatively sheltered being at MSU from kind of the perils of adulthood,” Woehrle said. “Just in the last nine months since I’ve graduated, I’ve had to deal with so many more grown-up things that I never had to deal with when I was in college.

So I think even just knowing that that’s on the horizon when you’re about to move makes it a lot more challenging.”

With spring 2025 commencement just a few months away, seniors may have already started the process of trying to find housing in other locations outside of East Lansing.

Heath’s process of finding places to live consists of searching online for options that match her criteria.

“I’ve just been going online and looking up apartments in the area,” Heath said. “Originally, I was thinking about living by myself, but that did not end up working out, just because things are way too expensive. Then I had to figure out, ‘Okay, I need to live with a roommate.’ So then I had to figure out the roommate situation, so now just kind of finding the best place to live and the best location for the cheapest price.”

For McDermott, apartment hunting consists of finding as many options as possible before narrowing down her choices.

“I honestly think I’m just going to try and look at as many places as possible,” McDermott said. “I just feel like the more I look into it and weigh out all of the potential options, then I can make the best decision of where I want to live and what works best for me and my roommate.”

Although many factors are within an individual’s control when finding a place to live, such as which areas to look in, factors outside one’s control can also contribute to the housing search. Heath said timing is one of those.

“I know a lot of places, like apartment buildings and stuff, fill

TU ESDAY, F EBRUARY 25, 2025

“Originally, I was thinking about living by myself, but that did not end up working out, just because things are way too expensive.”

Brooklyn Heath MSU alum

up pretty quickly, and then depending on when you find out what city you need to live in, or what job is being offered, places could be full, and I would say that’s definitely out of your control,” Heath said.

Throughout the process of finding housing, there can be elements that ease some of the stress. For McDermott, planning out reunions with her loved ones helps.

“Just knowing when I’m gonna see my friends and family again and have things to look forward to, and also just getting acclimated and started with my job, I feel like will also help the transition moving there,” McDermott said.

Woehrle said finding mutuals who live in the area you’re planning to move to can tremendously ease some amounts of stress associated with finding housing.

“I think the number one most helpful thing to do is, if you know anybody that lives in the city that you’re moving (to), to reac h out to t hem, because (what) I’ve a l w a y s f ou n d i s they ’re more than happy to help you out,” Woehrle said. “More than likely, they love their city, and they’re happy to show it off, especially to somebody who’s look i ng to move (there).”

Woehrle said utilizing the MSU alumni network can also help ease the t ra nsit ion i nto postgraduation life.

“One thing that I’ve been really lucky to find is that the MSU alumni network is so vast and

so helpf ul,” Woehrle said. “I would highly encourage anybody who’s graduating or has recently graduated, if they’re looking into moving into a city, see if there’s an alumni chapter in that city, because the Spartan community wants to help you out. Any time I’ve gone to an alumni event or reached out to an alumni for help, they’ve always been more than willing to help me out.”

Heath said her biggest piece of advice for adjusting to life after graduation would be to go through the process in stages.

“Take it one step at a time,” Heath said. “I feel like figuring out what city you need to live in first is the first thing you need to tackle, and then go on from there. I think just breaking things up into smaller steps makes it a lot less stressful, and maybe less difficult for someone.”

McDermott recommends looking at the opportunity to start somewhere new with a positive lens, rather than a negative one.

“I think, honestly, trying not to stress about it too much, because I think everything will work itself out, and everything will happen how it’s meant to be,” McDermott said. “It can be scary, but I think if you view it as an exciting new chapter that you’re about to start, you’re just gonna figure it out on your own, and kind of view it as the chance to be independent and experience something new.”