The Breeze's Off-Campus Housing Guide 2015

Off-Campus Housing Guide

2 Thursday, September 24, 2015

1598 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, Va. 22807 PHONE: 540-568-6127

Comments should be addressed to Wayne Epps Jr., editor-in-chief, at breezeeditor@gmail.com.

breezejmu.org OFF-CAMPUS LIVING

INSIDE PAGE 3 | What to look for when buying a wireless router

OFF-CAMPUS LIVING EDITION STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WAYNE EPPS JR. MANAGING EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LAUREN HUNT NEWS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ERIN FLYNN NEWS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ALYSSA MILLER LIFE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MIKE DOLZER LIFE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ROBYN SMTIH SPORTS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICHIE BOZEK SPORTS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PETER CAGNO COPY EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OLIVIA COLEMAN COPY EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DREW FAGAN COPY EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KAYLA MARSH PHOTO EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARK OWEN PHOTO EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ERIN WILLIAMS GRAPHICS EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KELSEY HARDING ART DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JACOB SANFORD ONLINE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BESS PREDDY AD MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MITCHELL MYERS ASST. AD MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICHAEL VESPA SPECIAL PUBLICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HUNTER WHITE ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRISTINE HORAB MARKETING & CIRCULATION MANAGER . . . CHARLIE VASILIADIS

PAGE 4 | Things to keep in mind when searching for housing PAGE 6 | Trainer talks staying in shape on your own PAGE 7 | Whip up these two quick and easy recipes

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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Get connected A guide to finding the right router for your apartment

Paradise City Kelsey Harding / the breeze

By Sean Hartanto contributing writer

Four people. Four computers. Four smartphones. That’s just the typical bare minimum for a four-person living situation in college, not including things such as video game consoles, streaming devices and tablets. College students don’t always have control over the Internet connection itself, but you can take matters into your own hands with certain things, starting with routers.

Routers are one of the most overlooked, underappreciated appliances in any household, especially when you’re living with two to three other people in this technology and information-driven age. Now you may think that you can go to the local Wal-Mart or Best Buy and easily buy a $40 router and everything will run smoothly. That’s not necessarily wrong. However, you could avoid a great deal of headache by knowing what to look for when shopping around for a router.

As people want more speed, coverage and reliability, today’s technologies are all buffing up the standards to meet this demand. This makes it even more paramount to have a stable and well-working router. To find a good router, there are three main things to keep an eye out for: protocol standard, wireless transmission speed and GHz speed.

Regarding protocol standards, there are four very common ones: 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11b.

Starting from the older versions, 802.11b and 802.11g are the slowest routers on the market, being capped at 2.4 GHz and only achieving data speeds of up to 54 Mbps. In layman’s terms, that’s very slow. Especially with multiple people and devices trying to connect to get all that sweet, sweet bandwidth. Avoid these if you can. Some of them

can even be more expensive than their more modern counterparts.

Next we have the 802.11n, which was previously the most popular wireless standard and is still commonly found at retailers. These can operate at either 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz, but never both at once, which means that it can cause some interference. The N standard can achieve up to 150 Mbps in data speeds, which is almost three times the amount of its predecessors. For either the same price or a couple of more dollars, the N standard routers are worth the investment.

Finally there’s the 802.11ac, which is the most updated standard in the wireless industry. These routers operate at 5 GHz but have reserved speeds in order to handle older 2.4 GHz devices as well. This puts less stress on the wireless signal and causes less interference and a more consistent signal, with speeds generally tripling the N standard.

If you want faster Wi-Fi performance, the 802.11ac is what you want, simple as that.

Without getting into too much detail, the strength that comes with an 802.11ac router is only rivaled by an Ethernet connection and the 802.11ac is slowly encroaching on the capabilities of the hard-wired method.

Obviously there are many more things to take into account when it comes to the Internet and the speeds you receive — such as your Internet service provider and the devices you’re using. And this isn’t to say that, once you get a 802.11ac router, all your Internet and wireless problems will magically disappear. However, you should see improvements if you’re upgrading from a B or G standard that is so commonly seen strewn throughout college apartments. contact Sean Hartanto at hartansl@dukes.jmu.edu.

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Harrisonburg house hunters Reflecting on the annual search for student housing around town

KELSEY HARDING / THE BREEZE

By ALYSSA MILLER The Breeze

As fall begins, many students are starting the search for next year’s housing choices. Although students are frequently encouraged to sign their leases as soon as possible lest their top picks fill up, they might be better off doing more research.

“What I do hear from students is that they just didn’t know all the things that certain places offer or all the options, because they are so rushed into the feeling that they had to have a lease, and they had to have it signed in October,” Rebecca Carbaugh, the coordinator for JMU Off Campus Life, said. “That seems to be a big myth in JMU is that you have to sign a lease in October or you won’t have a place to live; that’s not the truth at all. I don’t know where that myth comes from or who made it up.”

Instead, Carbaugh recommends that students make a list of all their requirements in an off-campus apartment or townhouse, and narrow their options from there.

“We always encourage people to think [about] what they need themselves in housing, not to base it on what their roommates might need,” Carbaugh said.

Larissa de Andrade, a sophomore finance major, agrees with Carbaugh. De Andrade, who lives in Charleston Townes, chose her complex based on what her roommates wanted.

Since then, she has found that she might not need everything she’s paying for.

“As much I as love it here and it’s super nice, I realize I’m not exactly using all the resources like the pool, the lounge area and the gym,” de Andrade said. “I haven’t used it at all …

I know I can find other places that have their own bathrooms and are smaller ... as much as I love it here, I’ll definitely look somewhere cheaper.”

And living off campus might not be for everyone in the first place.

“It’s a lot to handle classes, and then when you add ... meal prep, and cleaning, and dealing with other people, and learning how to set rules or limits for yourself, that’s a lot of work,” Carbaugh said.

According to Carbaugh, students who live on campus for at least two years have been proven to perform better academically, and feel like they are more a part of the community.

“There’s definitely that advantage of feeling more connected,” Carbaugh said.

Ryan Wimble, a sophomore marketing major, appreciates the convenience of living on campus in Shenandoah Hall.

“I don’t know … how many times I hear about trying to find parking on campus and meal plans and all this other stuff that people are complaining about, and [that] I don’t have to worry about because I’m already on campus,” Wimble said.

With new options like the Apartments on Grace Street, some students are also finding that they can have the experience of moving toward autonomy without having to forgo the

convenience of living on campus.

“I wanted to be close to campus ... and [Grace Street] was good walking distance,” Alexandra Millman, a sophomore international affairs major who lives in the Apartments on Grace Street, said. “I liked the fact that [the Apartments on Grace Street] was still kind of like a dorm but also like an apartment … it was also another step towards being independent.”

For students who are ready for that independence, living off campus can provide freedom they won’t find in on-campus housing.

“Living off campus, [we] get so much more freedom and the ability to do what we need to do, and don’t always have somebody monitoring our every move, so it’s so much better,” Brendan Reece, a junior marketing major who lives in Squire Hill Apartments, said.

Reece also likes the space he gets in a multi-level residence.

“We like the arrangement of the house because we have three bedrooms upstairs and the living space downstairs,” Reece said. “So we like keeping it separate.”

In addition to the freedom from rules set by ORL and resident advisers on campus, some students who live off campus find themselves with more control over matters such as food choices.

“I have friends living on campus in their second year and the see HOUSING, page 5

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Thursday, September 24, 2015

HOUSING | Students seek independence from page 4

biggest thing is they get to walk to class and don’t have to worry about parking. You have to adjust your schedule around parking … that’s the thing that sucks,” de Andrade said.

“But it’s so much better to have your own food and your own kitchen ... Even during finals, I don’t have to worry about what places are open or worry about running out of snacks.”

With that freedom comes more responsibilities, such as signing the lease and paying for utilities, which are new for some students that are used to dorm life.

“There’s a whole lot of expenses that go into it that you won’t even think about until you get there,” Reece said.

Since the housing information can be overwhelming, JMU’s Off Campus Life office, located in Festival, provides resources to help students make sense of the move.

“We have a living priorities list here that we can help them go through,” Carbaugh said.

Carbaugh added that OCL offers events like budgeting workshops, “Explore the Valley” events, roommate and landlord conflict mediation, and a community assistant program. The community assistant program “provide educational and community building programs at the property, so that students can get to know each other [and] build some community there,” according to Carbaugh.

There will also be an off-campus housing fair from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 in the Festival Grand Ballroom.

Although choosing the right apartment is a big deal, Carbaugh advised that one of the most important things for students to consider is who they live with.

“We have a lot of people that sign leases in October, [and] they don’t even like the people they signed them with ... by November. And then they’re kinda stuck,” Carbaugh said. “And so that’s just really unfortunate, because there’s nothing we can do about that.”

When it comes down to it, Carbaugh said students should choose a housing option that they know will be the best fit for them.

“We want to encourage students to really know, based on their own personal preference, what they need and want, and then choose based on that,” Carbaugh said.

CONTACT Alyssa Miller at breezenews@gmail.com.

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Staying fit off campus ERIN WILLIAMS / THE BREEZE

Nick Sipes, a junior physics major, makes planking part of his workout at Gold’s Gym on Lucy Drive. He trained his mom before being hired at his hometomwn Your Time Fitness.

A student shares his tips about staying fit while living off campus; Gold’s Gym owner talks about prevalence of student members

By CLAIRE HASKINS contributing writer

When it comes to working out and staying in shape, finding motivation can be the most painful part. And finding the transportation and time to take a trip to the gym when you can’t just pop into your dorm room to change can be a downside of living off campus.

Nick Sipes, a junior physics major who has a background in personal training, stresses the importance of two things that help him stay active, even when it’s hard to make the time for it: keeping it interesting and staying dedicated, no matter how he’s feeling. Sipes is self-taught when it comes to exercising on his own.

In high school, he was on the football team for four years, but afterward, he realized he needed to find a way to keep himself in shape, and began to learn about working out effectively.

“I realized I was out of shape after playing football,” Sipes said. “And I was like, I need to get back in shape, and nobody’s going to do it for me.”

Along with online research, Sipes tried out different training regimens, like P90x and other home workouts, developing a base of knowledge that he now uses to plan his workouts. Eventually he was approached by his hometown gym, Your Time Fitness, in Chesapeake, Virginia, to become a personal trainer

after the owner saw him training his mom for fun.

He had around 10 clients during his stint there.

Now, Sipes likes to stay flexible in the time he spends active, varying how he works out depending on how he’s feeling or what he finds appealing when he gets to the gym.

“Some days … I’ll just play around with what interests me,” Sipes said.

He doesn’t follow a particular program each week., however, he does target certain areas when he works out.

“I’ll pick major body parts, and major body parts coincide with minor body parts … I’ll try to pick things that work together,” Sipes said.

The variety in his routine is what keeps Sipes going. His philosophy is to have fun with what he’s doing.

“If you make your workout revolve around something you don’t like, you won’t do it,” Sipes said.

Still, like anyone, Sipes can’t always make it to the gym when he wants.

“Recently, I haven’t been able to say, oh, ‘I’ll be at the gym Monday through Saturday.’ Things’ll come up,” Sipes said.

Even with the occasional struggle of trying to find the time to come to the gym, Val Holmes, the owner of the Harrisonburg Gold’s Gym, says that JMU students are some of her most persistent customers.

“Probably at least half are going to show up at least twice

a week, and some of them will show up four or five times a week,” Holmes said.

JMU’s University Recreation Center is also still an option, and the opening of the new addition will allow for more visitors at a time.

“By the time that opens up in January of next year, I think we’ll be able to handle a lot more traffic,” James Moresco, a senior accounting major and member services manager at UREC, said. “And you’ll see even more students coming here because there’ll obviously be more room and it’ll be less busy.”

As for Sipes, even though he doesn’t have the same schedule every week, he knows that the key to keeping in shape is to make time each day to do something active, whatever it is, even if it’s something as simple as taking a walk.

“It’s not as much as making time to get to the gym, it’s about making time to do something,” Sipes said.

Despite his years of dedication, Sipes still has his off-days.

In the end, being dedicated and not giving up on trying to stay active is really what matters.

“There are certainly a lot of days where it’s like you don’t want to do it,” Sipes said. “But the days you don’t want to do it mean the most, because if you only do things when you do want to do them, you’re never going to get any better.”

CONTACT Claire Haskins at haskinca@dukes.jmu.edu.

breezejmu.org OFF-CAMPUS LIVING

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Life without a meal plan

By ERIN WILLIAMS | THE BREEZE I was convinced I was going to starve when I first moved off campus. Not having Festival’s Cheeze Please or D-Hall’s Saturday morning tater tots induced a panic in my stomach that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to fill.

I had to act fast, and now I’m here to help you from staring blankly with a grumbling stomach at an empty stove top. Let’s walk through two easy, quick meals that only have a few ingredients but are packed with flavor. These recipes will save you time and energy and get you back to work, and play, faster.

Spanish Veggie Scramble For this dish you will need one jumbo egg and a package of frozen stir-fry vegetables. Frozen vegetables are great because you can cook just the portion you want to eat and pack the rest back into your freezer for another time. You can use any type of vegetable that you like but I recommend a fajita stir-fry mix that includes multi-colored peppers and onions.

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ERIN WILLIAMS / THE BREEZE

Place the frozen veggies onto a stovetop skillet with a bit of olive oil. Let the peppers and onions saute on a medium heat.

2. While the vegetables warm up (it should take around four minutes) you can be whisking your egg. You want to scramble the egg in a cup with a fork or whisk for about a minute.

3. Once your vegetables are warm, you can add the scrambled egg into the skillet.

Use a spatula to move the eggs around, making sure they are cooked fully.

4. With a spatula, move your vegetable egg mixture to your plate. Season with salt and pepper and add some hot sauce if you’re looking for an extra good-morning kick.

Lemon Garlic Pasta with Chicken Dinner is a time to unwind and enjoy something savory after a long day of class or work.

This meal is easy to make and very versatile. You can switch up your protein by swapping out chicken for shrimp or tofu options. I have made this dish to impress my friends or just for a pasta party of one. You can use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe; just make sure to give it at least 12 hours to thaw in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator before cooking. I recommend using just the amount of noodles that you plan on eating and packing the rest back into your pantry for another time. You can also use canned lemon juice and garlic for this recipe, which can stay fresh for months in your fridge.

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Place a teaspoon of canned garlic and a splash of olive oil into a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.

While the garlic sautées, cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Put the pieces into the pan and place a lid over it for a more even cook.

After a few minutes, add five tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan. Remember to flip the chicken pieces so that they cook thoroughly on both sides.

Bring a pot of water on the stovetop to a boil and place your noodles into the water. The type of noodle you use is totally up to you.

Once your noodles are cooked, strain the water out and add a bit of butter to keep them from sticking together.

Pour the entire lemon, garlic and chicken mixture over the noodles and enjoy. I recommend a few hot red pepper flakes for a spicier kick.

ERIN WILLIAMS / THE BREEZE

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