HousingGuide2013

HOUSING GUIDE thebatt.com

spring 2013

Rise at Northgate 717 University Drive

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Page 3 Housing Guide

Are you ready for off-campus living?

Better get your check list made story by lindsey walters For many students, off-campus living can be a hard and stressful decision. Many decisions go into where you are going to live, how you are going to pay for things, and what you will need. Be sure to make a check list. Do your research and get advice.

There is a lot more to living off campus than most students take into consideration.

Sally Miller, administrative assistant of student living, tells the students to first decide what type of home they are looking for.

There are houses, town homes, apartments or duplexes. One option is to individually lease your room in an apartment, where you only lease your room and are not responsible for the entire apartment. There is also standard leasing where you lease the entire apartment or house, but if one of your roommates moves out, you are responsible for their part of the rent. “We tell them to look at their budget

first and what they can afford,� Miller said. “It might be furnished and it might not, also look at what it will cost for bills each month for the size of housing you want.�

Expenses that you need to include are start-up fees and bills. Start-up fees are the one-time fee that you will pay to connect the utility to your house, for example water or satellite. Bills are due each month, and they normally include your water, electricity, television, Internet and most importantly, your rent.You also have your necessity items like food.You are still able to purchase a meal plan for on-campus dining even if you live off campus, for those that do not want a large grocery bill or do not know how to cook. “I love having my own house, my own couch and my own privacy,� said Sterling Wallace, a senior animal science major at Texas A&M. “But there is a lot of things, See ready on page 27

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Page 4 Housing Guide

Tips on how to live safe and secure

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story by amanda overfield Have you ever been awoken in the middle of the night because some random person was breaking into your house? If you have, you probably know that it is terrifying. Believe it or not, break-ins happen in Bryan–College Station.

Home security is something that needs to be taken seriously, and taking the time to implement simple safety precautions can make all the difference. Officer Zach Martin with the College Station Police Department was nice enough to answer some questions and give advice on how to stay safe.

Question: College Station is stereotyped as an extremely safe place full of wholesome Aggies who have people’s best interest in mind. Do you agree with that?

Answer: “It doesn’t matter where you live, bad things happen. There is not any more or any less crime in College Station than other towns. I don’t know any town that doesn’t have crime.”

Question: In your opinion, what are the most preventative actions people can

take to ensure apartment safety?

Answer: “Always keep the dead bolt locked. Whether you’re home or away, this is so important and will deter a break in.”

Question: What is something that is often overlooked in apartment safety?

Answer: “Being informed. It is really simple small steps that will stop somebody.

Remember to do the small things like always keeping your doors looked, turning on porch lights, always have your keys out so you’re not digging in your pockets or purse when you get to your apartment or car door. Just be aware of your surroundings.”

Overall, he stressed the importance of ALWAYS making sure the doors are locked, both at and away from home.

Living on your own for the first time is exciting, but remember it comes with responsibility.You can easily improve your chances of living safely by taking simple precautions. No one thinks a break-in will happen to him or her until it does. Safety is not something that should be overlooked or taken lightly — even here at Texas A&M.

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Page 5 Housing Guide

Choosing where to call home story by lesli garrett Perhaps the most exciting part of coming to college is moving out of your parent’s house to live on your own. No more making your bed, putting your clothes away or following mom’s cleaning schedule.

However, finding a place to call your own can be harder than it may seem. College Station has an abundance of housing developments, subdivisions and rental homes for students that the possibilities are nearly endless, so finding the best place to fit your needs often requires time and research.

“Parents are always most concerned about price and safety,” Dr. Mark Vara, College Station rental property owner, said.

“Students are most concerned with location and size; it can be challenging to meet both parents and student’s needs.”

One factor students tend to ignore is finding a landlord or rental property that maintains the facilities properly. This is often something not thought of until the hot water heater is broken or the air conditioner needs repair in the middle of August.

It’s important that students choose properties that have a reputation for repairing normal damages in a house or apartment.

Appliances are always going to break, make sure you are going to get fast service and attentiveness to detail.

For many parents and students, paying tuition and daily expenses puts a burden on them and their college experience. However, College Station has a median rent of $755 per month, where as the Austin See choosing where on page 8

AY RD O 1 U T T SA :30 10

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Even a hot tub in the backyard oasis for relaxing! Seller will purchase a one year home warranty for the new owner. Call today for information or to view this property. $156, 900.

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Page 8 Housing Guide

Choosing where Continued from page 5

Welcome Home! s art ! t s t 7 Renat $ 56 day! l To Cal

✓ 24-Hour Get Fit Gym ✓ Sand Volleyball ✓ Free Wi-Fi in Community Area ✓ 24-Hour Emergency Maintenancy ✓ Berber Style Carpeting ✓ Full Size Washer and Dryer (option) ✓ Discounted Cable TV (option) ✓ Nearby Shopping Centers

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metroplex and Houston area have a median of $947 and $1,251 respectively, according to cstx.gov.

Oftentimes to decrease costs, some students have to cut their cable and internet and double up in bedrooms to accommodate for more people, making rent cheaper per tenant. Apartment complexes tend to offer multiple amenities anywhere from tanning beds to basketball courts and game rooms to swimming pools. However, these extras can increase rent prices for things students may or may not want or use.

“Price was more important to me than the amenities offered at most apartment complexes,” sophomore economics major Eliot Griggs said. “I don’t want to pay $100 more a month for tanning beds and game rooms I will never use.”

One important factor to consider when deciding on housing that is often forgotten is the length of the lease. Many college students choose to travel abroad, intern or work at camps, etc., over the summer.

While away it is costly and burdensome to pay rent for a house or apartment they are not using. It’s wise to choose a lease that will fit your individual needs to avoid being locked into paying a year-long rent you may not need. Talk to your realtor or complex about shortening or lengthening your lease to avoid moving multiple times and paying unnecessary costs.

“I have stayed in College Station every summer, thankfully my leases have been 12 months long saving me the headache of relocating for the summer or paying extra to extend my lease,” sophomore horticulture major Megan Reiley said.

College Station offers students a plethora of options to call home. There are many factors that go into choosing a home or apartment and there are many ways students can be overwhelmed without proper information. Plan ahead and take your time deciding, rushing into a housing decision only causes stress in the long run.

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Page 13 Housing Guide

Emergency Numbers

Local Medical Services

Ambulance, Police, and Fire Departments.............................................911 College Station Medical Center..........................................979-764-5100 On Campus Emergency (from a campus phone)................................9.911 1604 Rock Prairie Road, College Station Sexual Assault Resource Center...........................................979-731-1000 Scott & White Clinic................. .........................................979-691-3300 Non-Emergency Phone Numbers 1600 University Drive East, College Station Bryan Police Department.....................................................979-209-5300 CARPOOL........................................................................979-693-9905 College Station Police Department......................................979-764-3600 Corps Escort (on campus only)...........................................979-845-6789 Department of Public Safety................................................979-776-3110 Student Counseling Helpline...............................................979-845-2700 University Police.................................................................979-845-2345

Scott & White Hospital Scheduled to open August 2013 St. Joseph Regional Health Center.......................................979-776-3777 2801 Franciscan Drive (29th Street), Bryan

A.P. Beutel Health Center

St. Joseph Express Walk-In Care 4401 Hwy 6 S, College Station............................................979-731-5200 2010 E Villa Maria Rd., Bryan.............................................979-821-7373

The mission of the A.P. Beutel Health Center is to serve Texas A&M University students through the provision of medical services and promotion of health through preventative care and education. The Health Center is located on Houston Street. Limited outpatient parking is available in the small adjacent parking lot north of the facility.

Information provided courtesy of the Offices of the Dean of Student Life Adult, Graduate and Off Campus Student Services from the Off Campus Survival Manual. This information and much more can be found online at studentlife.tamu.edu/agoss.

Phone (appointments)............................................................979.458.8250 Website: shs.tamu.edu

Transportation Texas A&M University’s Transportation Services provides a variety of options to help students, faculty, and staff get to and around campus efficiently. These transportation options include riding on or off campus transit buses (all you need to use the bus service is a TAMU ID), parking on campus, or riding a bike to and around campus. Information regarding all of these options can be found on the transportation website: transport.tamu.edu Transportation Services Parking: 979-862-7275 (PARK) Transit: 979-847-7433 (RIDE)

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HOUSING GUIDE thebatt.com

spring 2013

HOUSING GUIDE thebatt.com

spring 2013

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Page 19 Housing Guide

00ARD $2 TC IF G

Design on a dime: college edition story by taylor wendt It’s the start of a new semester, you walk into your new apartment, and all you can think is “wow, there is so much white.”

Going from a home and a room that has had years to be personalized, and then entering a drab apartment or dorm room can be overwhelming. There are so many blank walls, so many empty rooms, and you’ve got a bedspread and a laptop to fill them.

However, inspiration and design for a new home can be really easy, especially with websites like Pinterest and other design websites and blogs that have thousands of ideas to personalize your space.

Roommates Alyssa Boyd and Allison

Mayo have taken their dull dorm room and made it into an eclectic, homey space just by adding a few decorations that reflect their personality.

“It is fun using what you have and taking the challenge to make something unique and special out of something mundane and ordinary,” says Allison Mayo, sophomore communications major. “Look for things that are free! My roommate and I collected paint samples that we used in different ways in each of our spaces. She fanned them out and put them on a bulletin board, while I hung them on a string

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thebattalion

Page 20 Housing Guide

Designing Continued from page 19

and made a banner.”

Color can really add pizazz and style to any room, so incorporating a piece of artwork that draws you in or adding a throw pillow can make a space feel new, and you can take these pieces with you to your next residence as well.

“Anywhere you go, you can find inspiration,” says interior designer Candace Huber. “Flowers, fabrics, accessories, and artwork – you can get inspiration from anything with color and design.”

Taking color or style ideas you see in stores or online, and then incorporating them into projects in your apartment or dorm is a really great start to any interior decorating. Some creative projects that can be done to make a room feel more welcoming are decorating lampshades, adding pretty curtains, putting inventive and creative things on your walls, and personalizing your apartment with pictures.

Lighting makes such a difference in a room, so taking a drab, plain lamp shade, and decorating it with fabric or scrapbook

paper, adds color and life to any room. In the same way, taking a window that has the usual boring white blinds and putting brightly colored or pretty patterned drapes over it takes a bland room and makes it completely new, in such a simple way too.

Pictures can also be displayed in your apartment or room, in many different ways, to personalize your space. Some great picture ideas include making a collage on your wall, creating picture canvases by mod-podging your favorite photos onto blank canvases or slates of wood, or using scrapbook paper as a backdrop in frames.

“Anything can be home décor,” says Madison Ham, junior finance major.

“I have fashion decorations on my wall because that’s what I love to do, so I just definitely try to put my interest on display.”

The key to decorating is to think of it as a fun project and not a task on your to-do list. One fun, creative idea that is really simple is taking old glass bottles and See designing on page 23

Fox Run Condominiums 801 Luther Street West, College Station 77840

Fox Run offers: - Units for sale or rent by owners!

- Spacious 2 and 3 bedroom floor plans.

Each bedroom has its own private bath!

- Each unit has its own washer and dryer!

- One reserved parking space per bedroom, Pool and Volleyball!

- Professionally managed and landscaped property!

- Five minutes from campus and on the Howdy bus line!

- Gated community of 128 units!

Please contact any local Real Estate Agent for available units that are for sale or rent! Buy one today and no more moving in and out and with the worry of where your student will live each year! Don’t throw money away renting elsewhere! No more leases to sign!

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thebattalion

Page 23 Housing Guide

Designing Continued from page 20

painting the insides or wrapping them in yarn or burlap to add color to your apartment. Then, by placing flowers inside you have a beautiful table decoration that is customized just the way you like.

It can also be really gratifying to search for old pieces of furniture and make them into something fun and new.

Try looking at garage sales or places like Goodwill for cheap, used furniture that can be turned into something stylish and perfect for your apartment.

A really popular style right now is painting old furniture a bright color, and then sand-

ing it down to give it an “aged” look. Also, recovering a chair with pretty fabric adds an unexpected liveliness to any room.

“People seem afraid to decorate, but go with your gut if you really like something and you’ll figure out a way to work it in your space,” Huber says.

Finally, remember that personalizing your space isn’t something that happens in a day. As you collect interesting objects, your apartment will begin to feel more like home.

Keep your eye out for inspirations, and you’re almost guaranteed to come across something you can incorporate into your room.

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thebattalion

Page 27 Housing Guide

Ready Continued from page 3

and a lot of unexpected expenses that you have to pay to keep things going.”

Check to see if your apartment or home has a bus stop nearby. Bus routes run throughout the city. You are able to ride the buses because you pay for the transit fee in your tuition.You do not have to purchase a parking pass or even a vehicle to be able to live off campus.

Another important thing to consider is the safety of where you are looking to live.

Look into the crime rate of that neighborhood or apartment complex. Always keep the doors locked for safety.

“I chose the apartment complex I live in based off of the security I felt when I was there,” said Allison Tucker, a junior ag communications major. “The entrance has gates that are always closed, and unless you have the code or someone that lives there to let you in, you cannot enter my apartment complex. This makes me feel safer so that I know there are not people just driving through for fun.”

For more information you can visit studentlife.tamu or visit Miller in Cain Hall suite B-117.

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Page 28 Housing Guide

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The Ramen alternative story by cat monaco Fast, easy meals for college students on a tight schedule and small budget Between classes, going to the recreation center, and a 5:30 a.m. weather broadcast every Monday, junior meteorology major Camille Manning has found a way to fit fast and easy meals into her busy schedule.

Easy meals, both on and off campus, are a necessity for students like Manning who do not have time during the week to make home-cooked meals or sit down at a restaurant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always on campus this semester so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had to learn to make easy meals to bring to school,â&#x20AC;? Manning said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the key is making it the night before and in bulk so you can just grab it when you are running late in the morning.â&#x20AC;?

Asian Salad, a recipe from her mother, is Manningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite meal to make. It is a simple recipe of broccoli slaw, oriental ramen noodles, rice, vinegar, almonds, sunflower seeds, and sugar mixed together making enough salad for about a week of lunches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only is Asian Salad so easy to make, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually pretty cheap when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on a budget,â&#x20AC;? Manning said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I usually just try to pack that with some strawberries to balance out the meal.â&#x20AC;?

Finding easy meals on campus is also an option among students who live in dorms or are on campus during meals.

Senior education major Stephanie Shargalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite thing to eat is Chinese food in the Memorial Student Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I pretty much live in the MSC because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the chair of Town Hall and that makes eating chinese such an easy choice,â&#x20AC;? Shargal said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just make sure to go at non-rush hours or else you can get stuck in line forever.â&#x20AC;?

Shargal typically orders lo mien and orange chicken because it is one of the cheaper options in the MSC and quick to eat in-between work and meetings.

Some students choose a more traditional option when choosing what to eat for lunch including senior animal science major Megan May who packs quick lunches for her days spent on West Campus or working as a Texas A&M bus driver.

See Ramen alternative on page 29

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Page 29 Housing Guide

What to know before signing a lease story by macy mccasland You could just be living somewhere six months or even a year, but when it comes to signing a lease, there are certain things that everyone needs to know before putting pen to paper to sign your name.

Living off campus is a big deal and can affect a lot of aspects in your life if you don’t do it right or sign yourself into something before considering a number of factors.

“Be sure and look around. There are a lot of options out there and when it comes down to it you want to live somewhere that fits all of your needs,” said Bethany Holland, sophomore international studies major.

One of the first things people need to know is once you sign, you’re in it for good…or at least until the lease is up.

When you put your name to the lease, you need to understand the consequences attached. Even though you’re not buying the place, a lease is a legal commitment that you are held to keep; if you don’t, you will be out of pocket a good chunk of money.

Another important factor to know is there is a chance you could be responsible for damage you did not do. When you first move in, be sure to put the damages you find in your place on the “preexisting” damage section of your lease. If you do not list everything, you will be liable for all damages at the end of your term.

People who have had personal experience in these areas are the ones you can

learn from. Ellie Gonzales, a December graduate with a degree in anthropology, learned how to deal with these obstacles the hard way.

“Make sure you do a run through before you move in because that’s where I really got burned. There were damages in my room that I moved into that should have been fixed ahead of time,” Gonzales said.

Financial consequences can be costly when it comes to breaking your lease.

Since it is a legal document, companies can charge you however much they feel fit to cover the costs.

It is the company or owner’s preference as to whether they will let you break the lease. In the end, check out all your sources before you agree to stay somewhere and be aware of the time you plan on living there.

“When you’re going into a lease, just remember to weigh all of your factors. The apartment complexes don’t enjoy charging you for something if you can prevent it,” said Lindsay Elias, a manager at a local apartment complex.

Other factors that have an influence when it comes to signing a lease include: pet policies, customizing to your personality, fees involved, electricity, appliance upgrades, and the inclusion of cable.

Your lease may automatically renew depending on what the lease states. Know your responsibilities if for some reason you have to break your lease.

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Continued from page 28

“I just pack a sandwich and a granola bar because it’s pretty much the easiest thing to do when you have to be on campus all day,” May said. “Sometimes I even just eat cereal.”

When deciding what to eat when off campus, students have many options around College Station. Efficiency is still the number one factor for Shargal when she’s choosing a location.

“I’m a huge fan of local places that have chicken fingers,” Shargal said. “It’s obviously delicious and it’s quick so I can just pick it up on my way home.You can also never go wrong with fast food, it might not be

healthy but it sure is an easy meal.”

Whether students choose to eat on or off campus, there are fast and easy meals available on campus or from their own kitchen.

All of the favorites from the students interviewed are suitable to make whether you live in a dorm, apartment or home.

“I think what most students struggle with is finding things to make with limited kitchens,” Manning said. “That’s why I love making salads. It’s something I’ve been able to do when I lived in an apartment with no kitchen as a freshman and still can now that I live in a house.”

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