BUILD A HOME HERE 2018 Fall Housing Guide
STUDENTS GET REAL ABOUT MOVING OFF CAMPUS ASTARK@STATENEWS.COM
The Waterbury Place apartments are pictured on Sept. 30 in East Lansing, Michigan. PHOTO BY CJ WEISS.
Part of the “going off to college” experience is living in a dorm room on campus. Having a roommate, decorating and making Easy-Mac in the microwave might work for some students, but others may require more space to spread their wings. MSU requires freshman students to live on campus, but after the first year, students are free to move off campus into an apartment, house or co-op. Students can continue living on campus — or they can round up some pals to lease an apartment or house in one of the many East Lansing neighborhoods close to campus. Every student has their own journey. However, living off campus presents new challenges for students to experience. Social relations and policy sophomore Lucas Sliwinski lived on campus for his freshman year and then moved off to join a co-op. “My cousin lived in a co-op and going with her to different events they would host, I thought it was a cool environment to live in,” Sliwinski said. “I thought it would be better than living in a dorm for me personally.” Like many students, Sliwinski sought out more independence when he moved out of the dorms to live off campus. “I definitely feel even more independent than living in the dorms. I felt so much independence being on my own already in college, and now
having a place I’m living in with other people, I feel more independent, more ‘adult,’” Sliwinski said. However, having more independence made Sliwinski consider the pros and cons of moving off campus. “I walk everywhere. I definitely have to plan more in advance to get out and walk the extra distance to campus,” Sliwinski said. Art education junior Paris Dion Conquest also had her struggles with not living right near MSU. “I have noticed that I am not as involved with things on campus. I used to go to campus events every week and now I barely ever go,” Conquest said. Going to class is more of a chore because I’m so far off.” Conquest struggles with the everyday tasks of washing dishes and preparing meals, but she enjoys her newfound ability to focus more efficiently since moving of campus. She also had other circumstances to consider in her decision to move off campus. “I have a dog, so I really had to figure out what places were pet-friendly,” Conquest said. “Also, rent price. Everything right off of campus is super expensive, so I’m a little farther out. They gave me a free bus pass, so I was all for that.” On-campus living can be an opportunity for students to have the “college experience,” but for some students, life in the dorms can feel like
BY ALEXIS STARK
close quarters. “I had a lot of roommates in very small living spaces and with that it just created a lot of tension between people,” said prenursing sophomore Haley Lyell. “It caused me a lot of stress and I didn’t have my own space to breathe.” Lyell had some adjustments to make, but the decision to move off campus as a sophomore turned out to be worth it for her. “I like being able to make my own meals and regulating my life at the pace that I want it to be,” Lyell said. Off-campus students have some advice for others who are considering following in their footsteps. “Explore your options because there are so many different places to live. Explore them all and pick the one that best suits you,” Sliwinski said. “Go to class! Find people you’re happy living with,” Conquest said. “Read your contract because so many places will try and screw you over.” “Make sure when you prioritize the money — which I know is important to a lot of people — you really think about how much you’re spending in a dorm, because you pay a lot of money to live there that you don’t really realize,” Lyell said. “Just make sure it’s something you’re ready to do.”
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FALL 2018 HOUSING 5 GUIDE 7
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Do you think having a dishwasher makes your life easier? Think again. Living in a fraternity house isn’t only parties. It’s living in a community. Feeling lonely? Here are some ways to feel a little less blue.
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Here are some of the best places around East Lansing for haircuts.
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Being homesick is nothing to be ashamed about.
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What to know before you move off campus.
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A HOUSE IS NOT ALWAYS A HOME The people you live can make or break your experiences.
BY ALEXIS STARK ASTARK@STATENEWS.COM
The interior of a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment in 300 Grand Apartments located at 300 W Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS.
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I am a list-maker, avid sticky note user and my planner is glued to me at all times. I like making plans going into situations. Going into college, I had a lot of plans. Plans are great because they make you feel like you have some control in an inherently chaotic world. Unfortunately, as we all know, plans do not always work out the in the way we hope they would. I am also a homebody. Going away to college and leaving home was simultaneously one of the hardest and most rewarding challenges I have faced. Coming to MSU, I hoped to find my “home away from home” while living on campus. One of my many plans was to live for two years in the dorms, followed by two years off campus. Every freshman lives in the dorms and after two years — even though the dorms did not feel quite like home — I hoped I would adjust enough to college life to survive living outside the safety of the dorms. Then maybe it would feel like home. When I looked for housing options my sophomore year, very shortly after settling in for my second year in Snyder Hall, I fantasized about living in a house with some close friends. My dream be-
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came a reality when I signed to live with three other girls in a cute blue house close to campus. The promise of freedom from tiny dorm rooms and hiking to the commuter lot every time I needed to drive my car was there. I thought for sure moving into an actual house would fulfill my desire for that feeling of “being home.” This is where my plan failed. The wake-up call from this dream came with raking leaves, shoveling snow, remembering to bring in the trash cans from the street, paying bills every month and constantly shuffling cars in the driveway. Despite having a color-coded chore chart, it seemed like a new conflict arose between my roommates every week. What we lacked in communication and accountability, we made up for in passive-aggressive text messages or untouched piles of dishes in the sink. You could feel the tension throughout the house some days. I found myself going home more frequently, staying at friends’ places or even spending hours at the gym because I felt more at home on a bike than I did in my own house. I felt like I was constantly searching for comfort and security in my house and never could quite find it. I thought after my roommates moved out for the summer, I would thrive having the house to myself and could make it feel more like my home. Sadly, my plans once again changed when my newfound sol-
itude also meant I had to handle messes, bills and scary noises at 1 a.m. by myself. I slowly came to the realization that no place was ever going to feel exactly like the home in which I grew up. Going into my fourth year of housing, I wanted to stick to my plan and stay off campus, but make a few adjustments. Despite my longing for community baths and meal plans, I knew I had outgrown living with another person six feet away. I decided to move into an apartment instead of seeking out another house because overall, it seemed like less to worry about. Though the space is smaller, there is less to clean, it’s more secure and we have a pool right outside. I thought maybe without the larger responsibilities and drama of living in a house, I might be able to find home. I experienced many unplanned difficulties living in a house off campus while learning those crucial lessons of life. Plans do not always go your way and sometimes — regardless of how hard you try — you fail to make everyone happy. Sharing space with people is messy. Everyone has needs, likes, dislikes and their own breaking point. I learned to make compromises to accommodate four people in one house without losing my own values. In all of this, it was difficult to find “home,” but my house experience helped foster the idea of home as a feeling, not necessarily a place.
CRISIS OF THE COLLEGE APARTMENT
Featured Houses: Woodmere Ave Cedar Street River Street Great Locations! Beal Street Quality Properties! Quality Management! Elm Street Center Street
DISHWASHER BY JACK RYAN JRYAN@STATENEWS.COM
iving off of broke college student surv It’s a tale as old as time: the what they But s. mer Jam d l-Ai Koo and nothing but ramen noodles her in a was dish a ing hav -real crisis of don’t tell you is the ever-so college apartment. After working long hours during summer break, it takes a long hard look in the mirror for me to be able to, for lack of a better phrase, throw away my savings toward rent. All the voices in my head tell me it would be so much nicer to just drop out, drive down to the coast, buy a fishing pole and earn my meals under a warm day’s sun. But let’s be honest, my parents would never allow that. Instead, I wrote that first check for nearly three thousand dollars, the first of three rent payments throughout the year. After watching my savings drain before my eyes, there wasn’t much left for the other basic necessities in life. You know, like Wi-Fi and ping-pong balls. Having three other roommates helps to cut up some of the costs of living, but we were all in the same sinking boat. Before we moved in, each of us took a trip into our cobweb-filled attics at home, scrounging enough stuff to stock the kitchen and having some furniture, but barely. This is where the dishwasher really does us in. No more than nine plates, a handful of bowls and more coffee cups than anyone could ever use made their way into our cupboards. With four of us, simple math would suggest that at three meals a day, we have at least a doz-
en plates. Well, we’re short of that number. This would be an easy fix under other financial situations, but we broke college kids don’t play around when it comes to paying the absolute smallest amount to live. When we use a dish, the natural thing to do is to put it in the dishwasher, that’s what it’s there for. Then we run out and it’s a real problem. Instead of taking the time to wash the plate by hand, it almost always gets tossed into the black box of despair. By midday, we have to run the dishwasher. By dinner time, it’s almost never done. Without clean dishes, we are forced to become resourceful — at one point falling as low as using the bottom of a milk jug for a bowl of spaghetti. During the leasing process our landlord kept pressing that having a dishwasher was a simple luxury that we were lucky to have. I’m sure it costs us a few extra dollars per month, too. What was described to us as a luxury turned out to be a burden. Without the dishwasher, we wouldn’t be eating off of cardboard boxes and milk jugs. The crisis of having a dishwasher in a college apartment may not be an epidemic recognized by the government, but believe me, it has consistently made my life much more difficult.
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4-9 BEDROOMS ALL LOCATIONS INCLUDE PARKING!
For leasing information visit or call: WWW.CRONMGT.COM 517-351-1177
AVOID ROOMMATE DRAMA WITH THESE SIMPLE TIPS GINA NAVAROLI GNAVAROLI@STATENEWS.COM
Establishing a respectful relationship with your roommate can create a positive living environment. It is beneficial for roommates to confront their annoyances at the beginning.
look of it may annoy your roommate. Some simple tasks: Avoid bad smells by not leaving food or dirty clothes out in the open. Pick up your crumbs to avoid bugs. Wipe down surfaces to avoid dust.
RESPECT EACH OTHER’S PET PEEVES
COORDINATE BEDTIMES
People naturally have pet peeves. If your roommate hates the sound of chewing food, tell them to put headphones on while you eat. If you hate unexpected overnight guests, tell your roommate you prefer to be notified before they invite someone over.
KEEP YOUR MESS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE ROOM If you’re the messy roommate, at least keep your mess on your side. Although your mess may be in your own area, the
ON-CAMPUS
HOUSING SIGN -UP BEGINS
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If your roommate is a night owl, explain your bedtime schedule to avoid sleeping with your roommate’s lamp on. If you do homework late at night while your roommate is trying to sleep, take your homework into a study room or lower your laptop brightness.
ESTABLISH GROUND RULES At the start of your time living together, establish a few ground rules. Those could include when it’s acceptable to have guests over, when you can blast your music and when it’s OK to exile your roommate.
Pi Kappa Phi is pictured on Oct. 8. PHOTO BY MATT SCHMUCKER.
WHY I LIKE LIVING IN A FRAT HOUSE CHASE MICHAELSON CMICHAELSON@STATENEWS.COM
When I joined Pi Kappa Phi last year I did not want to live in the house. I thought, as I’m sure many of you think, that a frat house would be dirty, I’d never get my mail correctly and I would be sleepless due to Travis Scott playing downstairs at all hours of the day. But, as time went on, and the members of my pledge class (the group of guys that you join with) decided to live in the house, I thought to myself, “Why not?” Rent is affordable, living in the house reduces the dues you owe by $100/semester, and the location, as with most fraternity houses, is great. I am so glad I made that decision. These are my friends, and it is a freaking blast living with them. I almost can’t imagine living anywhere else. If you live in a dorm and you’re anything like I was my freshman year, you have a few friends on your floor, and maybe a few more spread out around your neighborhood. There were lot of the people you barely know, or only met at those awkward floor meetings organized by resident assistants who don’t want to be there either.
In an apartment complex or small house, you’re really only going to know the people you split rent with, which is probably two to four people. In a fraternity (or sorority) house, you’re going to know and be friends with almost everybody in the house. For my house, that’s about 25 kids. For some other houses, it’s a much larger number. To be able to walk into any room in my house and sit down and play FIFA, or watch a ballgame or listen to music is such a unique experience. Sometimes I’ll walk by a suite and see someone sitting in there who doesn’t even live on that floor, but they’re chilling and waiting for their friend to get back so they can play Fortnite or study with them. Yes, it can get loud. Yes, there are parties. Yes, there’s trash in the parking lot sometimes after a tailgate gets rowdy. But if you’ve ever hosted a party of any size, you know trash comes with the territory. I can honestly say that I’ve never had an issue with sleeping. Part of that is the fact that I live on the top floor of my house, but it’s also because people are reasonable. Mu-
sic gets turned down or off when it needs to be, and cleaning is shared by members of the suite, sort of the way that the dorms were. The one thing I want to empha-
far from one another to consistently get together and do fun activities. After college, people start doing terrifying things like moving away for their careers (yikes!),
“COLLEGE IS OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMMUNITY, EVEN IF IT’S FOR A SHORT TIME.” size is how much easier it is to get a group of people together to do things. Yes, sometimes that’s partying, but sometimes it’s an impromptu group trip to Panda Express, or it’s everyone crowding around the TV to watch the end of an NFC North NFL game on a Sunday afternoon. (My house is split pretty much evenly between Bears and Lions fans). We can watch Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky throw a hilarious game-ending interception, or when he throws six touchdowns and looks like he’s the second coming of Joe Montana, we experience the swing of emotions together. In high school, people lived too STAT E NE WS .COM
getting married (double yikes!) and having children (triple yikes!). College is our best opportunity to have a community, even if it’s for a short time. Being part of a big organization, Greek or not, helps foster that community. But even if you’re part of that group, living in traditional housing means that you’re only going to see a few of your friends every day in the living room. Rather than making this column a lecture on Greek life as a whole, let me address the people who are new members of Greek life or hope to be soon: live in the house. You’ll always have a place to sleep after a party.
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MSU’S HOTTEST NEWS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
YOUR HEALTH IS AFFECTED BY WHERE YOU LIVE: STUDY MILA MURRAY MMURRAY@STATENEWS.COM
A recent study conducted at MSU explored the idea that where people live can affect their health. One of the key factors looked at in the study is the proximity of a resident’s home to local parks, industrial areas, community gardens, bus stops and grocery stores and how each of the different environments affected the health of the resident, a press release from MSU Today said. Rick Sadler, an MSU public health expert and associate professor in the College of Human Medicine’s Flint campus, is an urban geographer for
the university and the lead author of the study. He surveyed academic and community leaders in Flint by presenting them with a list of different characteristics of neighborhoods — housing, green space, environment, infrastructure, amenities and more. It asked them to choose which ones contribute the most toward the health of its residents. After the survey was completed, the data collected was combined with information on neighborhoods in Flint to develop a “healthfulness index” for each area. In the press release, Sadler said “very few studies” have created an index
like this. “In an ideal world, with a healthfulness index like this, there would be very few neighborhood differences,” Sadler said in the press release. “Everybody would have access to what they need to lead healthy lifestyles. Until that time, though, we can use data like this to target neighborhoodlevel interventions to make our communities healthier.” The results from the survey showed neighborhood factors residents thought were the most beneficial for their health — and led to healthy behaviors — include churches, schools, health services, pharmacies and grocery stores. The
survey also showed that community issues like crime, pollution and housing conditions affected the health of residents in a different way. Sadler found housing and neighborhoods located close to the city’s colleges scored the highest in the study, meaning residents in those specific spaces can engage in healthy behaviors more easily. “The more we understand the way the built environment affects healthy behaviors, the more we can advocate for changes that will make these behaviors easier to carry out,” Sadler said in the press release. The MSU study is now published in Social Science and Medicine, a journal that features health research.
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Apts. For Rent
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Houses/Rent 113 & 117 Louis. Each has 8 beds & 2 kitchens, w/d, d/w, covered porch. Lic. 8 & 9. 517351-0765. HRIRENTAL.com 19-20. Across from MSU. Studio-1-2-4 BR Apts, Houses 3-4 BR, 517 575-0008. hudginsrealty.com 2019 AUG houses available. Lic 2-6 people. www.gutowrentals. com or call 517-749-4767.
50+ Houses & Apts still avail for ‘19-20. Lic. 1-9. Aug & May leases. 517-351-0765. HRIRENTALS.com AUG. ‘19. Houses LIC. 3-8. msuhouses.com, 517-2020920. AWARD WINNING homes and landlord. Very classy, beautiful, affordable & updated homes, 4 bdrm, 2 bath, w/d, d/w, rec room & fireplace, easy walk to campus. Lic 4. Fall 2019. 517204-1604 mf2kessler@gmail. com
LIC FOR 4 and 5. Close to campus. Excellent rates. Call 517410-1198 or 517-203-5157 NOW LEASING 2019. 4-6 Br houses. Close to MSU. boydrentals.com. Call (517) 896-2247. SPACIOUS 4/6 BDRM Lic. 6/4. d/w + w/d. security deposit + utilities 517 599 5731
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FEELING LONELY? DON’T LET IT CONSUME YOU “EVENTUALLY, IN THE VERY END, OPENING MYSELF UP GAVE ME TALENTED COLLEAGUES WHO ARE SOME OF THE CLOSEST FRIENDS I’VE EVER HAD.” CLAIRE MOORE CMOORE@STATENEWS.COM
D
uring my first two years of college, I lied to myself about how lonesome I was. Stepping onto a college campus — one with tens of thousands of bodies swarming over it each day — was enough to leave my parents feeling more than a little concerned as they kissed me goodbye and left me sitting on a twin extra-long bed in a dorm
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during my first Welcome Week. How would their small, shy little girl adapt to this new environment? Would she find a place to fit in? I didn’t know the answer to that. In my imagination, I likened the college experience to my time on my high school’s swim team, where I was picked up and thrown into the pool on my first-ever day of practice.
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I imagined that I’d metaphorically be “thrown” into the middle of college life. I was thrown in, but I luckily didn’t drown. In fact, I feel like I have the “academic” half of student life locked down. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. But the past two years of sitting alone in a dorm — where I studied until my brain hurt because I’m terribly afraid of failure — began to weigh on me at the end of my sophomore year. I realized I hadn’t placed an emphasis on building the “social” half of my life at all. I regret that so much. Our professors, parents, bosses and friends stress the importance of getting an education. We hear this as freshmen at our very first AOP orientations all the way up until we’re seniors walking up to receive our diplomas. And yes, new students, studying is important. Passing your classes is important. Getting a job to save money and gain experience? I have two of those. Trust me, both are important. But part of me wishes I was in possession of a certain DeLorean time machine. I’d go back in time to sit down and have a long conversation with my awkward little freshman self. Now, as a junior, I’d tell her and any new students academics can’t fill the gap of making friends here.
If you’re feeling sad, stressed or hopeless, it’s not healthy to bottle those emotions up and not tell anyone about them. For me, falling victim to that sometimes led to indescribable loneliness. I might have felt a semblance of release had I actually made friends whom I could have texted, called or visited about my feelings. Investing into friendships can be daunting at first, but I’m saying you don’t have to be afraid to forge relationships with people. I accepted that this past summer by taking on a job where I couldn’t afford to be introverted. Bit by bit, I gained the confidence to let my peers know my true feelings, personal thoughts and deepest fears. Eventually, in the very end, opening myself up gave me talented colleagues who are some of the closest friends I’ve ever had. This all boils down to the idea of putting yourself out there. For some students, that couldn’t be an easier task. But for those of us who are shy, insecure and afraid of what lies in store — I hear you. I see you. I know how you feel. I promise you will feel better by giving others a chance to be your friend. They’ll be a shoulder to cry or someone to laugh with when you need it most.
LIVING IN AN APARTMENT, HOUSE PREPS YOU FOR LIFE
PHOTO BY MATT SCHMUCKER BY JONATHAN LEBLANC JLEBLANC@STATENEWS.COM
For the first time in my four years at Michigan State, there’s one thing I can finally not worry about this time of the year — finding housing for next year. I say this because trying to find housing this early in the school year can be a pain. You’re just getting situated into your new place, starting to get into a daily routine and getting settled in with your classes. As soon as you get all of this done, it’s already time to start thinking about where you want to live next year. This can be especially stressful if you’re a freshman still trying to make friends. If you’re still trying to figure out who you want to live with, which gets easier and easier every year, I — the elder senior — can help guide you on where you should live during your four years at Michigan State. Your freshman and sophomore years should be spent in the dorms. Obviously, freshman year you don’t have a choice. The reason I also say sophomore year is because you’re still settling in to college life and might not be ready to live on your own just yet. You might not be ready to cook your own food or clean your bathroom frequently. After two years on campus, it’s time to take the first real step into adulthood: an apartment. An apartment is the next step for many reasons. An apartment allows you to have your own kitchen, bathroom and bedroom
without possibly being bothered by a resident assistant. It’s really the first taste of freedom. It’s also your first chance to grow up. Being in an apartment is your first chance to be an adult and make sure you clean your room, bathroom and kitchen in a timely manner. It’s not an enormous space to take care of, so it won’t take up too much time and can give you a good foundation level of time management, cleaning often and learning to cook — all while living off campus. Then comes senior year. If you’re like me, you’re at the point in your college career where you want to work and not do the whole school thing. This is where it can split. Some people prefer the smaller area of an apartment, which is totally OK. But, you could also upgrade your space and live in a house. Living in a house, you feel more a part of your community. Even though I live in a fraternity house right across the street from campus, I feel more on my own and more tuned in to the off-campus community. There’s also something about having your own lawn and parking space that feels like home. While it’s more space to take care of and you’ll have to shovel your sidewalk in the winter, it’s another step in growing up and most likely more realistic to what you’ll experience as an adult. Which is what college is for — to help you become an adult and find your way.
“THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING YOUR OWN LAWN AND PARKING SPACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME.”
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YEAR-ROUND Amenities!
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TOP 5 PLACES TO GET YOUR NEXT HAIRCUT ANNA SPIDEL ASPIDEL@STATENEWS.COM
For college students, it can be hard to find places to get an affordable, but quality, haircut. Tailored specifically for MSU students, here is a roundup of the top 5 places to get a haircut based on price, quality, and proximity to campus.
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DOUGLAS J AVEDA INSTITUTE This salon is one of the best in the Lansing area for a multitude of reasons. For starters, the haircuts are very cheap. A regular wash, cut and style is only $16. All products used are natural and plant-based. All of the stylists are students at the institute. Though it may seem daunting to get your hair cut by a student, all beginner students are supervised by instructors who are trained professionals. The salon also offers waxing, makeup services, nail services, massage services, facials, and free complimentary blowouts for walk-ins only.
PAUL MITCHELL THE SCHOOL Similar to Douglas J Aveda Institute, this salon near Frandor Shopping Center is also a school with students working as stylists. Paul Mitchell the School offers cut and styles for $16 and has many other services to provide. The proximity to campus and low prices make this salon a perfect place for college students to get their haircuts.
FANTASTIC SAM’S This chain salon located on Cedar Street is another great choice for a cheap, quality haircut. A cut, which includes a wash, goes for $14.99. A blow-dry can be added for $2.40. Though it is a bit of a hike from MSU’s campus, Fantastic Sam’s low prices make it a great choice for a haircut.
PERSONAL IMAGE SALON This place is not your typical hair salon. Personal Image Salon specializes in artistic haircuts and dye jobs, and offers a plethora of different services. If you’re looking for a basic haircut, women’s cuts range from $35-$45 and men’s cuts range from $20-$28. Though it is a bit pricier than other options, the quality of the haircuts makes this salon well worth your money.
THE HEAD ROOM Though it’s a bit far from campus, this salon offers high quality services in a sleek, modern environment. The Head Room Salon offers women’s cuts running from $34-$40 and men’s cuts for $25-$30. The salon uses professional haircare brands and all of the stylists are licensed professionals. This place is a good option if you’re looking for professional quality with a reasonable price.
FOUR BEST PLACES TO FIND ROOM DECOR GINA NAVAROLI GNAVAROLI@STATENEWS.COM
Shopping for decorations will make your room feel more like home. Personalizing your space is easy with affordable stores in East Lansing. TARGET Target has practically everything a student needs at affordable prices and sustainable quality. Students can satisfy aesthetic desires from Target’s designated “college decor” section. Items in this section include curtains, pillows, frames, lamps, mirrors, rugs, and wall and accent decor. Spice up the dull, default dorm room with small details such as artificial plants, wall art, tapestries and other knick-knacks. In 2019, a new Target open in downtown East Lansing as part of the Center City development project. 4890 Marsh Road, Okemos target.com SALVATION ARMY For students on a lower budget or who do not desire to purchase new decor, Salvation Army is a prime place for thrifted items. At significantly lower prices, students can get more for their money on decorations than buying brand new items. The store has an abundance of inventory such as pillows, candles, vases, artificial plants, mirrors, frames and books. 2655 E Grand River Ave., East Lansing salvationarmyusa.org
MEIJER Meijer, a Michigan-based supercenter, has general home decor that can be tailored to the needs of college students. Students can find inexpensive pillows, frames, mirrors, clocks, candles, artificial flowers, photo albums and wall art. If one location is not enough, there are three locations in the East Lansing area. 7157 E. Saginaw St., East Lansing 1350 W. Lake Lansing Road, East Lansing 2055 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos meijer.com COSTCO Costco opened October 2017, has a selection of decor for students who want high quality items. The wholesale store sells mirrors, window coverings, drapes, clocks, accents and collectibles. 2540 E. Saginaw Hwy., East Lansing costco.com
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PHOTO: Eaton Rapids, Mich., resident Deann Ford and Kalamazoo, Mich., resident Shontice Reid enjoy the festivities during Meijer Moonlight Madness on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO.
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HOMESICK ZIMO WANG
ZWANG@STATENEWS.COM
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t’s the middle of the semester now. It is the time everything becomes exhausting and I just want to go back to my home. I am a international student from Beijing, China. It takes about 13 hours of flying from Beijing to Detroit and then one hour of driving to get from the airport to East Lansing. I’ve done that every summer since I came to MSU. This is my last year here. It’s probably not common for students to be homesick during their fourth year. But I identity myself as “different” from other international students. I label myself “different” because I moved a lot. And every single move was out of my comfort zone, so I don’t “hate myself” when I cry for home. The first time I came to the U.S. was during my second semester of junior high school when I enrolled in a six-month exchange program. I was accepted by a host family in McAllen, Texas. I was a nervous and excited 16-year-old girl who started her journey to the U.S. in 2014 with poor English. The first feeling of homesickness came to me fast. I wasn’t comfortable on the airplane because I sat for so long. I wished my mom could’ve been sitting with me so that I could have laid my head on her shoulder. My friends in China wrote me a lot of messages in a thick notebook. I was afraid to read it because I was afraid of crying. But I had been holding it in since the security check at the airport. I had to do something to shift my attention. I opened it and started to read under a faint light. My vision was soon blurry. All the memories buoyed up as I read through the letters. I took a deep breath and looked outside. It had been dark for a long time because of the time difference. “Just like my mood,” I thought. When I got off the airplane, my whole world changed. Several hours beforehand, there
had been people familiar to me at the airport. But the faces passing by looked quite different. I didn’t know where to go. And I missed my mom again. I had to get over it by myself. After all the struggling, I eventually stepped on America’s land. The school I went to was a public school with no Chinese classes. I tried really hard to make friends and practice my English. Culture shock, language and loneliness were all difficulties I had to deal with. The first couple months didn’t make me homesick because those difficulties kept me busy. It was the during the middle of my time there, when I kind of got used to life, that made me homesick. I started to write. I wrote everywhere I could to express my feelings. I wrote in my notes in Chi-
a hard time getting involved. Maybe because I had just transferred. Maybe there were other reasons. During the middle of the year, I lost control to handle everything. My tears just came out by themselves in the middle of classes. One day, I ran out of my religion class to the school clinic. I requested a video call to my mom and started to cry loudly without any other words. My counselor must have heard that, so she came to check if I was doing okay. We talked for a long time until I calmed down. I went back to class, having regained my self-control. It’s the middle of the semester again. After four years of studying at MSU, I am never emotionally homesick like I used to be. I miss my home, but not because I’m afraid anymore. I miss my family
“I FIGURE PEOPLE COULD BE HOMESICK FOR A LOT OF REASONS. THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH IT IS TO RELEASE IT.” nese so nobody could understand. I typed in my phone — pretending I was talking with my friends — so I wouldn’t look lonely. I wouldn’t allow myself to cry because it made me look weak. I just wrote, wrote, wrote anywhere I could. I moved to Utah for my senior year of high school as a international student, which is technically different from a exchange student because the two hold different visas. I went to a private Catholic high school that year. The work wasn’t challenging for me as I prepared for my SAT test. The school had more international students — especially Chinese — but I had such
just because I love them. Every year, domestic students go home and celebrate Christmas with their family. This reminds me of Chinese Spring festival, a time as important to us as Christmas is to domestic students. I figure people could be homesick for a lot of reasons. The best way to deal with it is to release it. I used to blame myself for crying, but not anymore. Talk to someone that’s reliable to you, write in your diary, communicate with your parents — there is no shame to being homesick. Let the homesick feeling be explored rather than holding it back.
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THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EAST LANSING
HOMESICKNESS IS A TRAP
BY S.F. MCGLONE SMCGLONE@STATENEWS.COM
Change is coming to East Lansing — but you’ve probably noticed that already. Construction sites abound up and down Grand River Avenue, a new income tax was passed in part to fund infrastructure projects and there is the possibility of recreational marijuana on the horizon. East Lansing is consciously transitioning into an urban environment, and perhaps the most important part of that transition is housing. The cornerstone of a successful and modern housing market for any city is diversity, according to Rayman Mohamed, Wayne State University’s graduate director of Urban Studies and Planning. “Providing housing for people of different income levels, different socioeconomic backgrounds, is important for their own access to jobs within the city, and also for the city to have a pool of employees to fill those positions,” Mohamed said. Diversity in this context means people of different economic means, ages, marital status, employment status and access to public amenities, he said. This is particularly important for East Lansing, as college towns can suffer somewhat from homogeneous student housing that doesn’t incentivize long-term residency, said Tim Dempsey, East Lansing’s planning, building and development director. Student-oriented housing also contributes to the “summer gap,” a phenomenon East Lansing is trying to mitigate. “Michigan State has a lot of full-time students, so students leave during the summer, and I don’t know that it’s possible to fill these places over the summer,” Mohamed said. “If it is a strategy to attract other non-East Lansingers to come living in East Lansing even though they’re not part of the student body — so you can have a more sizable population during the summers — it makes sense to me, it seems like it’s worth exploring.” The summer gap also affects businesses and investment in the area, and a more diverse population base would help prevent East Lansing from hemorrhaging residents over the summer who would otherwise support the local economy. “There tends to be a time of year, from mid18
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May to mid-to-late August, where a lot of those units are empty,” Dempsey said. “When you don’t have other types of housing like owner-occupied — maybe people that are out of school and have full-time jobs and are earning more income — that’s an important demographic. It’s those types of people that help to attract higher-end restaurants and more diverse retail.” If more people with differing income levels and backgrounds stay year-round, cities in general — not just East Lansing — are more stable, according to Gary Heidel, chief housing investment officer for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The city government has begun taking steps to improve housing diversity and create an environment that is friendlier to non-students and students alike, Dempsey said. For instance, the Center City, the Hub and upcoming Park District projects will all be diverse housing developments. A city ordinance known as the “25 percent rule” for new developments requires a quarter of the project’s housing to be owner-occupied or reserved for senior citizens, Dempsey said. “If you don’t diversify the housing in the core downtown, you tend to just get those apartments where students rent them, but by adopting a requirement like this, the notion is that you have other types of people then residing in the downtown,” he said. Heidel said cities looking to expand the diversity of their population will want to appeal to millenials, who together with baby boomers are the driving forces in urban demographics. He said they can do so by providing amenities like restaurants, music venues, libraries and common spaces — something that comes naturally to a college city like East Lansing. “Universities are a huge draw, the cultural amenities universities provide,” Heidel said. “Just look at the art museum on Grand River Avenue in downtown East Lansing. Part of it is they can walk everywhere they want to go, they do not have to drive cars.” Other cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids have successfully integrated diverse housing into their urban planning, but the trend is also catching on in smaller towns and rural areas across the state, Heidel said. “Mixed-use, mixed-income housing is very popular right now, primarily because there is a demand in urban communities for people who want to live in downtown areas or near downtown areas,” Heidel said. “We’re seeing that all over Michigan.” STATENEWS .COM
CHARLOTTE BACHELOR CBACHELOR@STATENEWS.COM
I don’t believe in homesickness. I know it sounds harsh, but I don’t. People spend their entire lives wishing to get out of their hometowns, only to get to college and wish they could go back to the place that they hate It’s odd, really. There’s only one explanation to it: People are afraid of shaping their own destiny. During high school, we were all labeled by broad traits that determined the path we took for those four bleak years. And for the most part, we despise it; we hate being defined by other people. Our sense of self is pretty much non-existent because it was already decided for us. Fast forward to college. The labels have been torn off and for the first time we’re blank slates. Being a blank slate is one of the most terrifying experiences we have as humans. As a blank slate, we don’t have anything that sets us apart from the crowd —we’re just another blank face in the sea of namelessness. We identify with nothing and everything at the same time. In John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer”, one of the characters says a line that really stands out to me. “‘Homesickness is absolutely nothing,’ she said angrily. ‘It is absolutely nothing. Fifty percent of the people in the world are homesick all the time. But I don’t suppose you’re old enough to understand. When you’re in one place and long to be in another, it isn’t as simple as taking a boat. You don’t really long for another country. You long for something in yourself that you don’t have, or haven’t been able to find.’” What we’re missing when we come to college is that label. We’re waiting for someone to put a stamp on our forehead and call us a nerd, jock, prep, whichever term loosely applies to us. We don’t know how to define ourselves and our destinies because we’ve never been given the chance to until now. We long to find our true selves. So, instead of wishing for what once was, I challenge you to pick up a piece of chalk and start drawing on your slate. Be the author of your own life and bring out what is truly within yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of homesickness. Don’t long for who you once were. Be excited for the future and the person who you are becoming.
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HOW TO ANNOY YOUR
ROOMMATE JACK RYAN JRYAN@STATENEWS.COM
It’s just part of the college experience. It’s expected to have a bad roommate your freshman year. But for me, I lived with one of my best friends, so my experience was a bit different. Instead of finding ways to smooth things over and make our living situation as easy as possible, I spent a lot of my time finding ways to get under his skin. One of the best ways to irritate your roommate is to not refill the Brita filter after you empty it. After a harsh Saturday night, waking up to no water available in the room is a clear-cut way to get someone mad. My roommate, for whatever reason, liked the room to be as cold as possible. I thought that was weird, but for the most part I dealt with it. But when it came to winter, there was little reason to have the heat off. So, when my roommate would go to class, I would turn the heat on as much as possible and close the windows. Shouldn’t be a problem, right? That’s where I was wrong. My buddy comes in, and within maybe five minutes starts complaining about the heat. Meanwhile I was bundled up under a few blankets and a hoodie. We would fight about the temperature in the room more often than we wouldn’t. It was pretty funny. Above all else, my favorite way to bother my roommate was to take little things and make him think he lost them. Nothing important, nothing expensive, just things that he had on his person and now they disappeared. He would get up from his desk, I would take a pencil. He would get up from the couch, I would take the TV remote. It’s all about the little things. Everyone always talks about how to get your roommate to like you, but that isn’t very much fun. Sometimes someone has to tell you the best ways to bother your roommate. That’s much more fun.
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A BREAK UP LETTER TO THE ON-CAMPUS CATA BUSES KAITLYN KELLEY KKELLEY@STATENEWS.COM
DEAR ON-CAMPUS CATA BUSES, I’ve depended on you for two years. You’ve taken me to my classes, work and to my friends’ dorms. You’ve always been there for me. But you’ve changed and I can’t stay with you. Just to make sure you understand, this is a breakup letter. In the beginning of my time at MSU, I found it painful to pay $50 each semester to use your services, but I soon discovered it was worth the cost. I could depend on you and I didn’t have to worry about consistently being late for class. Now, anyone can use your services and, in result, you’re very disorganized and unreliable. I can’t deal with you anymore and I have made the ultimate decision to discontinue my ridership with you. With all of you. Several occurrences have led me to this decision. One day, I was on route 33 — the bus I have always relied on to get to both the Communication Arts and Sciences building and the Auditorium for class. While approaching the bus station, the bus driver said the route was going through North campus for a second time instead of taking the usual route to South campus. First of all, what? So many feelings went through my head. I was so confused. I had to get to class. How could this be happening? I had to exit and walk to class from the bus station. It felt pointless riding with you in the first place. I should have just walked the entire distance. But how was I to know that you were going to change plans? As a result, I was late to class. I was infuriated. Another day, I was waiting at the bus stop for at least 10 minutes. Finally, I saw you in the distance and felt a wave of relief — I didn’t have to wait in the rain anymore. But when you approached, you drove right past me. Again, what? What is this “drop
off only” thing? You’re just going to not effectively use the space you have? Both of these situations have happened to me over and over again. I thought you could regain my trust. I thought maybe you’d get the hang of things after a few weeks of being free to everyone on campus. But I was wrong. I’m almost always late to class because you’re just too unpredictable. You should’ve thought about what you’d have to do to accommodate for more students. Are there more of you? No. There has been a 30 percent increase in CATA bus ridership in the first month and a half of the academic year, according MSU Spokesperson Emily Guerrant. However, there are still the same amount of on-campus CATA buses. On top of that, you frequently only have a portion of the buses effectively picking up students, while the rest are only dropping off students. Also, you are changing the usual route without notifying students beforehand, leaving them to get off the bus to find another way to get to class on time. None of this makes sense to me. Again, I have been using your services for two years prior to this change and have only encountered minor issues. Now, I can’t even ride with you. I can’t even imagine how you’re going to help students in the winter. I’m a cheap person, but I can confidently say that I would rather pay $50 per semester to actually use your services because, currently, you aren’t of any help. You have made me late too many times. You have left me stranded too many times. You have disappointed me too many times. I hope you can find the inspiration to change for the benefit of students like me. I hope you listen to critiques and make modifications accordingly. But, for now, it’s over. I think you really need to think through some things and come up with a more organized system. Until then, I will be walking to every class.
A CATA bus is pictured on June 8 at the CATA Transportation Center. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO.
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SIX THINGS STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW BEFORE MOVING OFF-CAMPUS
Students attend the 2018 MSU Housing Fair on Oct. 3. at the MSU Union. PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE BACHELOR.
CHARLOTTE BACHELOR CBACHELOR@STATENEWS.COM
Moving off-campus can be an exciting and rewarding experience. A few of the vendors at the 2018 MSU Housing Fair shared their tips for students who are ready to move out of the dormitories.
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CONSIDER A DINING PLAN If cooking really isn’t your thing, Leah Ball, communications manager for MSU Culinary Services, urges students living off-campus to try an off-campus meal plan. “One of the things they should consider is purchasing an off-campus dining plan. They’re available in bundles of 10 for $7.75 per meal, so there’s a little bit more flexibility built in,” Ball said.
SET BOUNDARIES AND GROUND RULES AHEAD OF TIME AmeriCorps Vista volunteer Dan Newton believes students need to set up social contracts with whomever they plan on living with. “Set up group norms with their roommates as soon as possible,” Newton said. “Make sure that they have community agreements. It makes living with a group of people so much easier.”
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BE MINDFUL OF YOUR PRICE RANGE AND LIFESTYLE Miranda Scott, an assistant general manager at 25 East Apartments, urges students to pay attention to their price range and the lifestyle they’re looking for. “I think that the biggest thing to look for is price range and what you are interested in having as your ultimate lifestyle,” Scott said. “There are a lot of communities slightly off campus where you can get more for your money. I also think it’s also important to look at the resources your community provides.”
KNOW YOUR CREDIT SCORE Brandon Howell, a lead digital marketing specialist for the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, believes it’s important for students to know where they stand financially. “Know what your credit score is. Know what affects your credit score, and know why it matters,” Howell said. “Some apartments will run credit checks, and it could affect whether you’re approved for a lease or not.”
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HAVE SOMEONE LOOK OVER YOUR LEASE ASMSU Student Legal Service attorney Brian Jeffries urges students to take advantage of the free legal service to find any potential issues in their leases. “If you’re looking at a lease, bring that lease into our office and we can review that and go over the terms and conditions, so that they know what they’re getting into,” Jeffries said. “We can talk about our experiences with the landlords and if it will be a good landlord to work with or a hard one.”
MAKE A BUDGET Carly Jacobs, a leasing manager at Chandler Crossings, believes making a budget is essential before a student moves off. “Budget for sure, if they’re going to move off campus,” Jacobs said. “If they’re living on-campus they don’t have to worry about that. Be on top of rent.”
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