The Daily Illini: Housing Guide Spring 2023

DI wins 23 awards at ICPA

By Heather Robinson Editor-in-Chief

The Daily Illini staff left Chicago with 23 awards last weekend after another successful run in the annual Illinois College Press Association convention. For total points accumulated in the competition, the DI took the title of third place in the Sweepstakes category — behind The DePaulia and The Daily Northwestern. Overall, our staff was rewarded across the board for excellence in reporting, photography, design and more.

1ST PLACE

Entertainment Supplement: DI Staff

Sports Column: James Kim

Feature Photo: James Hoeck

Sports Page Design: Julia

Eversmann & Sebastian Holt

Advertisement — Print: Peter Rest

Advertisement — Digital: Natalia Rafalko

THE DAILY ILLINI

2ND PLACE

General Excellence — Web: DI Staff

Editorial: DI Staff

Column: Nathaniel Langley

Sports Photo: Sydney Laput

Spot News Photo: Sydney Laput

Front Page Layout: Julia Eversmann & Sebastian Holt

Podcast-Sports: Carson Gourdie & Josh Pietsch

The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students.

All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher.

3RD PLACE

Sweepstakes: DI Staff

Feature Story: Faith Allendorf & Sarah Bond

Sports Column: Christian Jones

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Coverage: Vivian La

HONORABLE MENTION

Editorial: DI Staff

Photo Essay: DI Staff

Feature Story: Yuzhu Liu

News Story: Jacob Slabosz

Sports Game Story: Jackson Janes

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Coverage: Dara Stack

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How to contact us

The Daily Illini is located in the basement of the University YMCA at 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820. Our office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.

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Corrections: When we make a mistake, we will correct it in this place. We strive for accuracy, so if you see an error, please contact Editor-in-Chief Heather Robinson at (217) 337-8365 or email editor@dailyillini.com.

Time traveling back to 1907’s Illini Hall

116-year-old time capsule found during building demolition

By Aidan Sadovi Assistant News Editor

Following its demolition, Illini Hall is becoming more of a memory every day.

On Feb. 15, a construction crew stumbled upon a time capsule inside of a cornerstone while demolishing the hall, located on Wright street across from Altgeld Hall. Inscribed on the cornerstone is “AD 1907,” the year Illini Hall, then the University YMCA, was built.

The connection between the YMCA and the student body played an indelible role in the University’s history. Several sections of Illio yearbooks from 1906 to 1908 are dedicated to the building.

Yet, yearbooks and University archives from the era leave no mention of the capsule’s existence.

The University’s Student Life and Culture Archives holds a trove of documents, letters, pamphlets and photos detailing the YMCA’s time on campus.

Some of the earlier documentation includes promotional pamphlets and leaflets for the dedication of Illini Hall. One section lists facts about Illini Hall: the building was made up of three floors — two with dorms — and a basement, which housed a barber shop, restaurant, lunch room, bowling alley and “smoking room.”

The collection includes a copy of the songs sung at the dedication of the building, including Christian hymns like “Joy to the World,” “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” and ironically, “How Firm a Foundation.”  Spoiler alert, a list of the capsule’s contents was found at the University YMCA’s current home, located down the street from Illini Hall at Wright and Chalmers streets. According to the two-page list, possible contents of the box include a bible, a list of members and officers of the YMCA, a list of donors, copies of The Daily Illini and The News-Gazette and a map of the University and Champaign-Urbana.

The YMCA’s archives also include letters of solemn well-wishing and

polite regret from those who couldn’t attend the 1937 dedication event.

The last time a time capsule was uncovered at the University was in 2015, when a capsule from the early 1910s was discovered in the gateway of Lincoln Hall. Inside were business cards, letters and specialty coins of the era.

The latest capsule will remain closed for at least another semester. It will be opened in the fall to commemorate the University YMCA’s 150th birthday celebration.

Although the contents of the capsule will be shrouded in mystery until autumn, at the time of writing there are still small parts of the building still standing.

One week ago, Illini Hall’s chalkboards were visible from the street, exposed to the open air by the inprogress demolition. On it, mathematical scribbles from approximately February 2020, when COVID-19 forced students and professors off of campus. Illini Hall never reopened when in-person classes began in Fall 2021. The writings remained untouched — a suspended mark of the pre-COVID-19 University experience.

aidans2@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDENT LIFE AND CULTURE ARCHIVES

A construction crew at Illini Hall’s demolition recently uncovered a time capsule from the year of the building’s opening.

Set your sights on the perfect apartment

By Matt Troher Assistant Features Editor

Lace up your boots. Put on your jacket. Draw out your map and set your sights — it’s hunting season.

Apartment hunting season, that is.

Whether you’re a freshman searching for your first apartment or a junior looking for a great senior pad for next year, apartment hunting can be a daunting task. It’s where you’ll live, after all, and since you’ll be deciding on where you’ll call home for at least the next year, it’s a decision that warrants a little bit of forethought. I spent more time deciding on what bedspread to get than I did on choosing a major.

To help ease the tension, here are some tips on apartment hunting, from choosing the right apartment to making it your own.

It’s not as hard as it looks

This one is for all the first-time apartment hunters out there. It can seem scary, even downright impossible, to get an apartment for the first time. Let us ease your worries — it’s not that hard.

Campus realtors know they’re doing business with college students, the majority of whom are first-time renters. While this could lead being taken advantage of by realtors (more on this later), it also means the process of applying for and securing an apartment is a lot more controlled than in the open market.

Most landlords will require an application. This is just a short document with a few identification questions, such as your social security number, parent’s contact information and previous residences you have occupied. This application also serves as an authorization for landlords to run a credit check before they offer you an apartment.

While the application can be brutal in non-college-town markets, I have never heard of a student’s application getting denied for an apartment for reasons other than they submitted one too late.

Location is key

The biggest realty cliche in the books, but it’s a cliche for a reason. The area your apartment is in makes just as big of a difference, if not more, than the apartment itself.

The price of parking in this town is insane, so consider how long it will take you to walk to where you need to go if

that’s your preferred mode of transportation. Make note of the buildings you spend the most time in, whether that be classes or work, and figure out what the ideal walking time is. There are enough apartments around here that you’ll be sure to find a place at any conceivable distance.

Living close to Green Street (or on it) can be a huge plus if you find yourself going out a lot, or if you want to live close to a large variety of restaurants. Living just off of Springfield or University avenues will come in handy if you’re spending a lot of time on the North Quad or in the Beckman Institute, and the apartments on Lincoln Avenue are a great location if you frequent the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Know your rights

Although landlords who know they’re working in a college community can tailor their services to first-time renters, they can just as easily exploit this naïveté. The University’s Student Legal Services has an abundance of resourc-

es for educating first-time renters on their rights as tenants.

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself as a tenant is to document anything and everything. If you’re leaving your apartment for a long period of time such as for fall or spring break, take pictures of your walls and floors and any important items. That way, in the case that something bad happens to your apartment, the landlord or realty company will have a harder time claiming it’s your fault.

Be diligent in checking what exactly goes into your bills and be on the lookout for any bogus charges added to your tenant portal. I’m not saying it happens often, but if it does, know that you have rights and there are people in the community willing to help you out.

Ditch the “luxury” for something smaller

Green Street these days is looking more like Chicago with its high-rise apartments. Many of Campustown’s larger residential complexes advertise

themselves as “luxury apartments,” but be aware that the word “luxury” is usually nothing more than advertising.  Often, these buildings are managed by national corporations that specialize in developing real estate in college towns. This means there is a broader disconnect between the students living in the building and the building’s management. If a problem comes up — and they often do — students in these large buildings will often have a hard time solving it, for fixing it requires navigating a large web of residential administration.

In another sense, the “luxury” indicated in the description fails to materialize in the apartment itself. Cookie-cutter boxes in the sky can be soul crushing compared to the cozier atmosphere found in some of Campustown’s smaller apartment complexes.

Consider choosing an apartment in a smaller building. They’re often cheaper, cozier and have more tolerable management. Who uses that free pool table in the lobby anyway?

Slim pickings with bigger prices

Campus-wide rent increases make affordable housing difficult for students to find

By Lisa Chasanov Staff Writer

During the apartment search, choosing a home away from home on campus is a complicated decision, with options ranging from century-old houses on cobblestone paths in historic Urbana to the luxury high-rise apartment buildings on Green Street.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Fair Market Rent, or FMR, for a one-bedroom apartment in the Champaign-Urbana metro area grew from $739 to $829 between 2021 and 2022 — a 12% increase. FMR is a representative statistic for rent established by the HUD and calculated by finding the 40th percentile of rent costs in an area.

In the opinion of Perla De La Torre, sophomore in AHS, the recent increase in rent is “unreasonable.”

“Rent has gone up a lot at my friend’s building,” De La Torre said. “This year, her rent is $600, but ... it’s $750 for next year. Still, her building sold out pretty quickly.”

These rent increases don’t just impact potential residents, but also returning renters.

According to Dr. David Albouy, professor in LAS, the recent hike in rent costs is happening in direct response to the market.

“There’s been a growing affordability crisis in the country at large since about 2001 ... across a lot of geographies, there’s a lack of new housing supply in places that people want,” Albouy said. “Demand moves around, and supply has to keep up.”

The increase in rent on campus has not gone unnoticed by students. Many students are worried that they will be unable to find housing for a reasonable price, including Lizela Figueroa, freshman in LAS.

“All of the good apartments close to campus are really expensive,” Figueroa said. “I was only here for a month when all of my friends were saying that I had to pick an apartment right away or else they would all be rented out.”

According to Brooke Beyer, sophomore in Education, students should

consider starting the apartment search in the fall before your current lease is up.

“The best time to look for an apartment is during the fall of the previous year, I would say,” Beyer said. “The apartments go fast.”

Kevin Lu, junior in Business, thinks this timeline puts pressure on apartment residents to renew their leases far too early in the year.

“They want us to look for apartments ridiculously early in the semester,” Lu said. “The problem with this approach is that they make you decide before you’re accustomed. You have to re-sign somewhere before you know whether you like it, or even who you’re going to want to live with next year.”

Lu went on to say that leasing companies artificially hike rent costs because students continue to need campus housing regardless of the price tag.

“I think the leasing companies take advantage of students needing to live on campus,” Lu said. “Honestly, they charge you whatever they want to

charge you because you have to pay for it if you want to live on campus.”

The Daily Illini reached out to several leasing companies and all declined to comment or did not respond.

According to Albouy, Central Illinois is generally one of the most affordable places to live, but the University’s campus is an exception.

“We have lots of land around here,” Albouy said. “Some of the cheapest places in the country are about a half an hour of driving away. You can buy a mansion in Danville for a bargain.”

Although living further from campus and commuting to class using public transportation is often a cheaper option than looking for an apartment within walking distance, Albouy said that he understands those who choose to live closer to the action.

“I think that there’s a certain beauty in campus living; being close to one another, your neighbors being related to the campus as well,” Albouy said. “But there’s a little bit of student segregation that way, too. Lower-income students might be forced to self-seg-

regate from other people.”

As new amenity-packed apartment buildings continue to replace older, more affordable units on college campuses across the country, some rush to blame the buildings’ developers for increases in rents across the board. According to Albouy, this is a mistake.

“We typically think rental markets are fairly competitive, and so they’re driven by a lot of supply and demand,” Albouy said. “So, blaming a few landlords for rising rent is a bit tenuous, because one big building with 500 or 700 residents is not moving the market.”

Albouy also said increased demand for luxury housing is the reason for its continued development.

“The fact that the luxury buildings are selling out is a sign that there’s a shortage of these kinds of places near the campus,” Albouy said. “You see these huge new buildings and ask, ‘How could there be a shortage?’ I mean, it’s what people want. Some students want to live close, and they don’t want to live in an old apartment.”

An upgraded one-bedroom unit with a private hot tub at The Hub, a luxury student apartment building, rents for over $2000, not including utilities. This floor plan sold out relatively early in the leasing cycle.

Albouy said that a gradual, generational shift in expectations for standards of living is a potential reason for luxury buildings’ popularity. To illustrate this, he recalled his father’s “waxing nostalgia” of a Paris apartment furnished with a cinder block bookshelf.

“Luxury student housing, to me, should be an oxymoron,” Albouy said. “I think here what we’re seeing is a manifestation of inequality at large, and it’s playing itself out in the housing market. Some parents have no problem putting their kids in luxury housing.”

From an economic standpoint, Albouy said that rising prices are indicative of a positive trend in Champaign-Urbana. Sagging rents in places like Decatur and Danville indicate a lack of demand to live there, according to Albouy.

“A rise in rents is kind of a sign of (economic) health in a long-term sense,” Albouy said. “It’s a case of more people and a similar amount of housing.”

ALEXIS RAMIREZ THE DAILY ILLINI

LLCs mix up the college living experience

By Azucena Gama Staff Writer

The University’s policy requiring freshmen to live in University Housing can be a headache for many students. However, there are ways to make living in the dorms easier.

Students have 24 University Housing residence halls to choose from. Within the residence halls, the University has Living-Learning Communities. LLCs are certain floors of a hall or buildings that are dedicated to a particular interest, creating a space where students with similar interests can coexist.

“A Living-Learning Community can be one of the options to make a very large university feel more like home and where you can make a connection with a lot of the people on your floor,” said Yulisa Lin, program director for Urbana South LLCs.

There are 11 LLCs dedicated to interests like health professions, women in STEM, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

“I think living in a Living-Learning Community is a very special experi-

ence because you can make friends with people from all different backgrounds or people who share a common interest,” Lin said.

LLCs also have academic perks. Communities like Women in Math, Science, and Engineering in FAR and Unit One in Allen Hall offer classes in the buildings, which makes getting to class easier and gives students accessible study groups and spaces.

“You get the best of both worlds, and you get the personal learning environment and engaging atmosphere of a small college,” said Laura Haber, program director for Unit One. “And you get the resources of a large research university.”

The courses offered can cover general education requirements for math, science and English.

“Residents can go down a couple of floors and go into their classroom and meet with people who are in their Living-Learning Communities and take the class together,” Lin said. “We always encourage students in our LLC to take classes together because it creates another level of interaction.”

LLCs also host special events, programs, clubs and trips. They occasionally host group activities, ranging from arts and crafts in the basement to trips to Chicago. Within these communities, students can be as involved as they would like to be, but nothing is mandatory.

“I think most people get involved,” said Olivia Dencker, freshman in LAS and Unit One resident. “There’s always something to do.”

Another perk is that students in LLCs can move in two days earlier than the rest of the students living in non-LLCs. This gives students extra time to get accustomed to their surroundings, meet people and explore Champaign-Urbana earlier.

LLCs do require a supplementary application, which usually consists of just a short paragraph where students must explain why they are interested in living in that particular community. Some programs are more competitive than others.

LLCs also require a fee to cover extra activities. This fee is usually around $200 to $300.

Haber said that this is to gauge student interest in living in an LLC.

“(Program directors) are looking to see how interested students are in that community and what they might bring to that community,” Haber said.

gama3@dailyillini.com

“I think living in a LivingLearning Community is a very special experience because you can make friends with people from all different backgrounds or people who share a common interest.”

Yulisa Lin, program director for Urbana South LLCs

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On-campus living deserves a revamp

By Megan Harding Assistant Opinions Editor

Living in a dorm during freshman year is a character-building experience, as it forces students to learn to live with another person in close quarters, problem solve and make new friends. Residence hall life is an important stepping stone between living with your parents and being completely independent.

On-campus living also reminds students not to take anything for granted: personal space, cleanliness or long, hot showers.

Even with these inconveniences in mind, living on campus gives students stability and protection they are not as likely to get living off campus: enforced security measures, financial aid packages that determine the cost and, most importantly, the meal plans that come with on-campus housing make students less likely to be food

However, there are some pleasantries the University could add that would take dorming to the next level.

. Bathroom modernization

For the $10,000 or more students pay to live in the dorms per year, a bathroom should at least be free of 70s-inspired, blue-and-pink tile and a complete lack of privacy.

Stalls could be designed to be fully enclosed without gaps at the top or bottom. This way, when students are using the bathroom, they have more privacy and do not feel as surrounded.

Nugent, Wassaja, PAR and ISR have already taken the steps to create more private spaces. They have individual-use bathrooms that allow residents to take a shower and use the bathroom without someone sitting right next to them.

This is not suite style since there are far more rooms than bathrooms, but it does allow students to have much-needed alone time they do not get anywhere else.

The interior design and aesthetics of bathrooms could also be improved. The design elements and good lighting in bathrooms such as CIF and Siebel Center for Design could be implemented in dorm bathrooms to create a more clean finish.

2. Air conditioning improvements

While most dorms are equipped with window air conditioning units, they are only on for August, September and some of October. Not only is there a possibility of hot days in late October and early November, but having heaters on in the winter makes rooms both humid and musty. For the extra cost residents must pay to live in an airconditioned room, it should be more accessible.

Additionally, the units could be cleaned or replaced more regularly to prevent mold from growing on the inside, which happens when dust continues collecting.

Most dorms on campus offer air conditioning, but Allen, LAR, TaftVan Doren, Barton and Lundgren all come without air conditioning. Even with a fan, Illinois summers can make rooms hot, sticky and unbearable. Having air-conditioned rooms for every dorm would make living on campus even more appealing.

3. Lounge decor

Many dorm lounges feature cement walls, fluorescent lighting, hard plastic

tables and chairs, and a few blue and green couches that have most likely not been replaced in the last decade. Since most dorm rooms barely have enough room to fit both a desk and a bed on either side, using the room as a study environment is not always productive.

Without stripping the entire lounge, a few purchases from Amazon or even a local thrift store could give the lounge areas a much-needed makeover.

To start, the walls could be made less bare with hanging plants, photographs or artwork. Each table could have a lamp, or there could be strings of cool-colored lights around the area.

The room could be complete with a beanbag and faux fur desk chairs that could double as a relaxing place to sit or a chair that will not hurt after sitting and doing homework for hours.

4. Food quality

As mentioned above, the meal plans available through University Housing are an easy option for students to eat without worrying about spending money at the grocery store and cooking their own meals with an already busy schedule.

However, some of the meals are unhealthy and lack variety. The smell of grease lingers on clothing after leaving the dining hall, a sign that the food may not be prepared in the healthiest ways. There are also weeks where the same foods are being served every single day, which does not allow for much variety.

While there is an effort to include vegetarian and vegan options with the salad bar and meatless burger alternatives, meat-free entrees are not available all of the time, and eating a salad for every meal is not ideal.

The University has so much potential to make the most of the living spaces they offer for students. On-campus living isn’t necessarily a bad option, but more could be done to make continuing residence hall life after freshman year more enticing.

With the argument that living in an off-campus apartment is the better option, the University has the choice to facilitate an environment that surpasses the off-campus benefits and makes students feel at home.

Megan is a freshman in Media.

mhard6@dailyillini.com

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI Students and their families walk out of Weston Hall on Sunday afternoon.

Off-campus housing puts dorms to shame

By Daniel Kibler Columnist

While living on campus may feel satisfying at first, off-campus housing far surpasses what residence halls offer.

Being young and away from your parents for the first time, surrounded by people your age, leads to some good times.

One definite advantage is how quickly you meet people in the confined spaces of a dorm. Whether it’s in the bathroom or the lounge, you tend to run into the same people constantly, which leads to friendship.

Another pro to residence halls is that dorm food sometimes just hits the spot. Ever been to barbecue night at the Ikenberry Dining Hall? Good times. Barbecue aside, access to the dining hall can be extremely convenient in general.

However, once the luster of freshman dorm life wears off, every sane person is ready to move into their own space. Let’s face it, living like sardines with a bunch of other people kind of blows.

Lack of privacy is a prevalent issue with on-campus living. The walls separating your dorm from your neighbors’ are paper thin. Got an exam at 8 a.m. tomorrow? Sorry, your neighbor just got back from a rush event and feels like having a sick post-game at 2 a.m. with six other people.

The room size is also a major problem. It’s very easy to go stir-crazy in a room that resembles a closet. There’s also not much room for personal items or decorations that will make the closet feel like home.

Illness spreads like wildfire. Once somebody has a virus of any kind on your floor, everybody will end up getting it. Sharing bathrooms and touching the same door knobs with 40 people tends to do that.

Since living in glorified army barracks is unappealing to most people, switching to apartment life is a natural part of a college student’s maturation.

College is normally the first time people learn to live on their own. This means doing your own laundry, cook-

ing your own food and cleaning your own living areas.

Living in an off-campus apartment is the time when people learn to support themselves. It’s imperative that people learn these life skills before they start their careers and real lives. Residence halls only delay this necessary growth period.

Apartments are also spacious enough to support actual gatherings. This is a much better alternative to having to awkwardly cram all of your friends

into a closet-sized dorm while sitting on whatever beds or ottomans are available.

Access to a real kitchen is a big deal as well. Dorm food, as good as it sometimes is, isn’t the healthiest, nor does it have enough options for people who are vegetarian or vegan. Access to a kitchen enables you to learn how to cook food that is healthy and diverse, which is a life skill everybody needs.

Not only do dorms function like prisons, they often look like prisons — beige, dull and boring. However, with a space that is totally yours, you are allowed to customize it to a much greater degree than dorms allow. Similarly, off-campus housing lets you choose what your surroundings are.

On-campus housing just doesn’t suffice. Every student currently stuck in a dorm is simply waiting until they can move out and live off campus. It’s just a fact of life.

Daniel is a senior in LAS. dkibler3@dailyillini.com

JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI

Midtown Plaza apartments, located at 310 S. First St., Champaign, is an off-campus housing option for students.

Unreasonable high-rises tower over modest housing

By The Daily Illini Editorial Board

The twin towns of Champaign-Urbana are sometimes referred to as a “microurban” population center, partly due to the imposing high-rises that line Green Street. These high-rises give Green Street a sleek urban look, but come at a cost.

While these buildings certainly benefit the ever-increasing student population, high-rises cannot be considered a complete or sustainable solution. From the frequent flooding to the boy-whocried-wolf fire alarms, Green Street high-rises are not a good place to live and an unwelcome guest in C-U.

The management issues alone expose the poor business practices of these development companies, most of which are located in states hundreds of miles away, namely Texas. A pattern is emerging: faceless real estate developers, funded by multi-billion dollar investment groups, buy land on campus, throw up a cheap

new build, and gradually increase rent to unreasonable prices, knowing the affluent portion of the student body will pay it. Suffice to say, the costs greatly outweigh the benefits — as appealing as life in a high-rise may be. While the business model adopted by these development companies is certainly a profitable venture, we cannot ignore the lack of equity sprouting from these buildings. The highrises, situated at the most convenient locations on campus, are only accessible to those with the means to pay the pricey rent.

Our University ranks among the top colleges in on-campus class enrollment of both graduate and undergraduate students — and with that comes a need for housing.

The University and City of Champaign have managed to prevent a housing catastrophe by being reasonable

sustainable student housing, capable of sufficiently supporting the number of students, should be the end goal.

These plots of land where high-rises are being developed could be better used to create housing options for low-income students.

Limits to affordable housing options especially hurt in-state students. These students often choose to attend the University because it’s their most affordable option for higher education. However, while the tuition may be cheaper, the implicit costs of off-campus housing may not be.

Students are entitled to a quality living experience that does not distract them from their ability to succeed professionally and academically. Worrying about your homework should be enough. Worrying about when you’ll have hot water again shouldn’t be an issue our peers have to face.

recommend dedicating some time searching for smaller rental apartments. A landlord you can call or deal with face-to-face will always be better than an apartment dictated by their parent company’s shareholders and profit margins.

University Housing is a convenient option for upperclassmen, since they have access to dorms with better amenities like ISR, Nugent or Wassaja.

Ultimately, the University and the City of Champaign has the responsibility and authority to do something about the poor quality of the Green Street high-rises. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to stop these developers, but it’s completely possible to increase our standards before we’re faced a housing crisis, or even worse, a catastrophe.

opinions@dailyillini.com

Constructed in 2021, Hub Champaign Daniel at the corner of Sixth and Daniel streets is one of many new high-rises that has popped up in the Campustown area.

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UI Housing’s firstyear rite of passage

By Nicole Littlefield & Tianxin Li Assistant Copy Chief & Staff Writer

University Housing requires freshmen to live in residence halls for a minimum of one academic year. Across campus, University Housing has 24 undergraduate residence halls, two graduate/ upper-division undergraduate student residence halls and three apartment complexes.

The Student Code states “All first time attending undergraduates must live in housing … for the entire academic year.”

This includes freshmen (anyone with 29.9 credits or less), applicants for admission who are still in high school, anyone who has not attended postsecondary education after high school, students who are enrolled in the fall term with credit from the prior summer semester and transfer students who have earned fewer than 30 credits.

Mari Anne Brocker Curry, director of housing information and marketing for University Housing, said that students 21 years old or older are exempt from the housing requirement.

“Because of the certified housing standards on our campus, we know all housing approved to house new students will provide a certain level of housing, dining and programming to support a student’s successful transition to our campus,” Brocker Curry said. “Our research shows that students who live in approved housing for two or more years are more likely to graduate and more likely to graduate in four years than someone who moves out after their first year.”

Ruiyi Hou, freshman in LAS, is not new to the residence hall experience. In high school, she lived in a residence hall with five other classmates. Hou lives in Synder Hall and said she likes the architectural style of the residence hall.

“The room is not very big, but it is enough for me to arrange all my stuff,” Hou said. “It kind of satisfied my need for security since I left my home with no one close here.”

Hou said she understands why freshmen are required to live in University Housing.

“It helps students to take on the new environment slowly and without worrying about basic living needs and safety,” Hou said. “It is also a kind of way that keeps students on track, so they would not (be overwhelmed) just because they

went to college where they can literally do whatever they want.”

Katharine Cui, freshman in LAS, lives in Illini Tower, which is private certified housing. Cui shared similar beliefs as Hou.

“It is necessary for us to live in the same place with other students the same age because this is our first year,” Cui said. “Its so we can make more friends and just get to know more about the school.”

Cui said she understands the University requirement, but she does not believe freshmen should be required to sign a year-long contract. After being on campus for a semester, she said she understands campus and believes she would be able to live in an apartment by her second semester.

Beulah Lee, senior in Engineering, is a resident adviser at FAR. She explained that living in a residence hall provides students with many opportunities to interact with peers. As an RA, she hosts events and activities and encourages students to meet new people.

Lee talked about the pros and cons of life in residence halls.

“Living in dorms freshman year shouldn’t be mandatory because dorms are indeed quite expensive and not so necessary for local students, but students can benefit from it, (as the) RAs often hold events and activities to help students make new friends,” Lee said.

For many students, living in a residence hall is a rite of passage and will continue to connect past, present and future Illini.

“Dorms, roommates and dining halls,” Lee said. “These make students’ freshman year (feel) more complete.” features@dailyillini.com

JACOB SLABOSZ THE DAILY ILLINI Afternoon pedestrian traffic passes through the Ikenberry Commons on Feb. 15.

Apartment decor advice based on your major

By Koumae Adams & Matt Novelli Staff Writer & Managing Editor for Online

Nothing beats the feeling of receiving compliments about how cozy your living room is or how good your new bathroom candle smells. To get these compliments, you first need to spend time decorating your apartment to match your personality. Here are some tips for decorating your apartment based on your major.

For engineers, nothing beats a lavish shower experience after grinding out assignments at Grainger. Decorate your bathroom with dried eucalyptus, candles or a bath tray to make bathing something you can look forward to. If you’re a bath person, a bathtub pillow and some epsom salt can enhance your baths.

For students majoring in marketing, a bar cart will spice up your living room. If you’re not 21, stock a cart with soda, fancy lemonades, juices and grenadines for making mocktails. If drinks aren’t your thing, a tasteful container filled with candies or mints can go a long way in keeping guests satisfied.

Student life is undeniably hectic, which means having a neat, organized kitchen should be a priority. Airtight containers and a spice rack will make you look put together and organized — accounting majors, take note.  Students majoring in media and cinema studies might consider renting a projector from the library to entertain guests. Hosting a movie night with a projector is a game changer and is sure to create unforgettable

memories with friends.

A terrarium side table can add an earthy touch to an indoor space, something students majoring in environmental science should consider adding to their

homes. There are plenty of DIY tutorials online for making terrariums.

Students majoring in education need a designated area to wind down and relax. A homemade bean bag assembled with materials from a craft store will provide a comfy escape from your work, and the final product will be much more comfier than a couch. Get creative with your space!

Similarly, pre-med students know how important sleep is, which is why having a comfortable and personalized bed is a must. Consider adding a canopy, fake vines, cute pillows, plushies and fluffy blankets to improve your bedtime experience.

English majors should look into floating bookshelves. These unique shelves are easy to install and can be picked up on the cheap through Amazon.

We all love music, especially those who study it. A record player and a fat stack of vinyl records adds a touch of personality to a room. Be sure to check out the handful of record stores in C-U, like Exile on Main, Record Swap, Parasol and See You.

For those not looking to break the bank on a record collection, a used Bluetooth speaker from eBay is always a safe bet.

Your college apartment should be your home away from home. Don’t hold back to make the space your own, and show off everything that you treasure.

kadam21@dailyillini.com

AMY SANCHEZ THE DAILY ILLIN

Freshmen juggle housing options for next year

By Kaitlyn Devitt Staff Writer

The University offers a charcuterie board of housing options for freshmen and transfer students. Residence halls, certified housing, fraternity houses, off-campus living and co-ops are just a sliver of the options available on campus.

Each option comes with its own benefits and compromises. We asked the class of 2026 about the factors behind their housing decisions for the upcoming school year.

Kaitlyn Tuvilleja, freshman in Engineering living at Busey-Evans Hall, decided an apartment would be the best step for next year.

“I think the dorm halls are just kind of bad to live in,” Tuvilleja said. “There’s a lot of people that just won’t respect your boundaries, plus communal showers are kind of gross.”

Tuvilleja also noted that some of the freedoms she’s looking forward to center around having a kitchen.

“I miss cooking a lot,” Tuvilleja said. “I used to cook a lot at home, so just having good food for a good price is

something I’m excited about.”

Garan Tantasirikorn, a freshman in Engineering, said he’s concerned about proximity to his classes. Like Tuvilleja, Tantasirikorn is choosing to live in an

apartment next year.

“I wanted to be close to Green Street and the Engineering Quad since that’s where I spend all my time anyways,” Tantasirikorn said. “I spend too much

time catching buses, and I don’t care for the dining hall food — it didn’t make sense for me to dorm another year.”

However, an apartment isn’t the only option for students that no longer wish to house with the school.

Alex Engel, freshman in Engineering, joined Delta Kappa Epsilon in August and made the decision to live at the fraternity’s house.

“I had originally thought about getting an apartment with a few other people,” Engel said. “But then they told us there’s a one-year living requirement for the fraternity, so I decided to get that out of the way so later on I have other options.”

Engel added that he looks forward to the community of living in a house with his frat brothers.

“I think having a house is nice because it’s more of a homey feel versus an apartment where you kind of have your bedroom and a living space that you share with three other people, and that’s kind of it,” Engel said. “But the house is like, you have this whole building.”

kdevitt3@dailyillini.com

In Urbana, recycling starts with

LORELEI STREB THE DAILY ILLINI

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

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Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

2 Pertaining to 3 Jessica of TV’s “The

Champaign ranked 11th-worst ‘Bed Bug City’

By Michael Bales Staff Writer

Highly resistant, transported to the U.S. through international travel, exponential population growth — these sound like descriptors for a virus. But in reality, these are phrases used by University entomology professor Brian Allan to describe one of our prominent household pests: bedbugs.

In Orkin’s annual ranking of “Bed Bug Cities,” Champaign moved up two spots from the year prior, entering 2023 as 11th in the nation.

Orkin said their list is based on “treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2021 –November 30, 2022.” This information gave Allan ideas about possible reasons why Champaign is so highly contaminated with bedbugs.

“So, if you picture a transmission network for an infectious disease, it’s actually a really similar concept,” Allan said.

As with infections and diseases, bedbugs travel via humans.

“They get into people’s clothes, and that’s how they get transported to new places,” Allan said. “So, when somebody with a bedbug infestation in Chicago packs up their suitcase and comes down to Champaign, they could bring bedbugs with them and start a new infestation here.”

Chicago is considered by Orkin to be the top city for bedbugs, and with common travel from the Chicago area to the University and back, Allan considered this as a possible reason bedbugs could spread in Champaign.

“It could be that we have a lot of bedbugs simply because Chicago has a lot of bedbugs,” Allan said. “There’s a lot of travel back and forth between the two places, and bedbugs are literally riding up and down the highway in people’s suitcases.”

Despite Orkin’s high ranking of Champaign and Allan’s theory, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District claims that the city “does not have a bedbug problem.”

“I don’t think it’s scientific in the sense that they’re not controlling for things like population size and stuff like

that,” Allan said about the accuracy of Orkin’s list.

Allan also mentioned “(a factor) could be that there’s just more reporting coming out of Champaign, and it could be because you have a more educated population that’s more likely to report bedbugs.”

An Orkin entomologist did not respond to requests for a comment.

Whether or not bedbugs are a problem, there’s no denying that they exist, so it’s important to know how to treat them.

Allan said that because bedbugs are so accustomed to the human environment, the best way to get rid of them is by altering the temperature of the home, making it either too hot or too cold for the bugs to survive.

“So if you’ve traveled, and you’re worried you got exposed to bedbugs, you can put all your clothes into a trash bag and throw the trash bag in the freezer,” Allan said. “That should kill any living stage of bedbug if you leave your clothes in the freezer for a period of time.”

At the end of the day, Allan recognizes that when it comes to bedbugs, the infestations are “really upsetting” for those living with them. To try and combat infections, the CUPHD has a page of resources for those who may be affected locally.

If you have concerns with bedbugs or want to learn more, visit the CUPHD website for further information.

mcbales2@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A bed bug nymph ingests blood from a human host.

Hailey’s gets blunt about smoking stigmas

body, but we want to just have girl workers here, so I think it’s safer and more comfy,” Alessandra said.

She also specified that while the shop is primarily aimed at girls, there are things for everyone.

Alessandra explained that the idea for the shop came to her last December over winter break, adding that her fiancé put the shop under her name and let her run it on her own.

“This used to be The Cookie Jar, and we literally got the keys Wednesday last week, and it was really fast,” Alessandra said. “Boom, got the pink in, got the shelves in, and then as soon as we got that, it was just product right away.”

She added that she wants to build trust

“I want to involve my customers,” Alessandra said. “I want them to feel like they can give me recommendations (and) inputs. I want this to be a girly

Alessandra explained some of the ways she plans on involving customers, including a punch-card system where for every eight vapes a customer buys, they will get one for free.

Alessandra said opening the shop as

a student has made things somewhat challenging.

“It has been a little hard (with) classes, and I just want to be done with (undergrad) already so I can focus on this and just get into my entrepreneur mindset before I even start thinking about law school because I’m feeling really burnt out,” Alessandra said. “This is a fun project for me (and my) mental health.”

She talked about the positive effects smoking weed has had on her as well.

“Obviously, I’m a stoner; I’m a hippie and girly,” Alessandra said. “The main thing is, don’t judge me because of a habit that is said to be bad. I don’t think it’s bad. Whenever I’m not motivated for school, I smoke a joint. Boom, now I’m studying.”

Alessandra said overall, the process of setting everything up has been fun.

“I have so much fun going to the (suppliers) and picking out all the stuff individually and really thinking about what would the customers like,” Alessandra said. “I’ve had a lot of fun with it, and I think it will continue to be a lot of fun.”

cecilia@dailyillini.com

Miyoshi serves up success in first season

By Martin O’Connor Staff Writer

Any sport can be watched and enjoyed at face value. However, the backstories and the behind the scenes of the world of sports are what makes people fans for life. Illinois freshman Kenta Miyoshi is one player in Champaign with a story to tell. Miyoshi came from Japan to represent Illinois men’s tennis, and as the season has gone on, he’s only gotten better.

In just one semester, Miyoshi has had to face the highs and lows that come with competing. As exciting as Illinois’ season-opening 6-1 win over Wichita State was, Miyoshi had the lone singles loss that day. Being young and inexperienced can affect confidence on the court, and it takes a lot of responsibility and support for Miyoshi to respond the way he has.

“My teammates are really helping me a lot, adapting to college life and also college matches,” Miyoshi said. “I feel like (Illinois is) a home for me, too.”

Starting freshman year can be an overwhelming task to the ordinary college student. For Miyoshi, the transition certainly was demanding.

Miyoshi is an international student, and he also had to get used to a new lifestyle and culture as a student-athlete. This move would be a huge culture shock for anyone and would take time to get everything figured out, but Miyoshi has buckled down and proven to be a tough competitor.

Balancing this culture shock alongside the rigorous training schedule required of a Division-I tennis player rubbed off on his play initially. Experiencing life in a team setting, as well as playing older players, has taken a long time to get used to.

“I really struggled the first couple matches because college matches and dual matches are completely different compared to juniors,” Miyoshi said. “I need to be so energetic, really motivated and come after them and show them that I’m here.”

Two major things that sold Miyoshi on Illinois were the environment that head coach Brad Dancer culti-

vated and the fans of the tennis program. He said the environment in Champaign is very welcoming, and the Illini fans help get new players acclimated quickly.

“There’s nothing like Atkins (Tennis Center),” Dancer said. “I’ve been to every tennis facility in college tennis throughout; there’s nothing even close to half as loud as what our building gets when we get people rocking. Opposing teams come in here, and you can feel the energy.”

Improvement has taken its time with

Miyoshi, but he now finds himself in a much more comfortable situation. The welcoming efforts from both the coaches and his teammates have really helped him find his groove this spring season.

In duals, Miyoshi is 10-8 since his opening singles loss at Wichita State, including a win over No. 13 Georgia’s Teodor Giusca, aiding in his team’s comeback upset over the Bulldogs.

“With Brad, I’ve been talking a lot about my game, how my tennis is improving, what I need to work on

and how I feel on court,” Miyoshi said. “That’s really helping me to build up my game and also as a person.”

So far, Miyoshi is taking the season day by day, but is always looking to improve. Amid such a prolific first season wearing orange and blue, some of his weaknesses have been exposed against top opposition.

But Miyoshi, standing at 6 feet 2 inches with a long wingspan, is also honing in on some of his strengths. He possesses an already deadly serve, but putting a good opponent on the back foot early can only aid in his own success.

“Right now, I’m working on how I can use my serve. If I can use my serve more, I think I can be more aggressive and put pressure on my opponent, which helps a lot for me.”

The Japanese freshman is adjusting to team setting, a new country

PHOTO COURTESY OF @ILLINIMTENNIS INSTAGRAM

Freshman Kenta Miyoshi attempts to return the ball to his opponent. Miyoshi is 10-9 overall in singles.

“My teammates are really helping me a lot, adapting to college life and also college matches too. I feel like (Illinois is) a home for me, too.”

Kenta Miyoshi