housing spring 2020
JACK WEST / MANAGING EDITOR
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The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
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January 23, 2020
The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
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‘A lasting impact’ Resident assistant shares why the job is more than a paycheck By JORDAN WINDHAM Campus Writer
Two photos beam out at the lobby of a dorm. The faces, both on the wall and behind the front desk, are common fixtures for dorm residents. These faces are the ones the residents turn to when they get locked out of their rooms, can’t find their classes or are just having a bad day. They are the Residential Assistants. “It’s a very lonely job,” said Mohammed Sadok Aounallah, an RA in Tiger Hall. “It’s almost like you’re always being looked at. If a resident is like ‘I’m going to skip class,’ I’m like ‘Don’t skip class,’ right? But if I skip class — and sometimes I do — they’re like ‘Oh you skipped class why should I listen to you?’ ” An international student from Tunisia, Aounallah’s experience with his RA while living in a dorm freshman year and dealing with the culture shock that comes with adapting to being a student in a foreign country encouraged him to help others who might be experiencing the challenges of life in a new place. “[My RA] was always happy to be there,” Aounallah said. “He was like the second person I met in Auburn after Camp War Eagle that it’s like, ‘Ok, I can call this person a friend.’ He made such a lasting impact on us. He always hung out with us; he was always there; he was always happy, and I was like, ‘I wanna do that for someone else.’ ” Aounallah took this philosophy and turned the job of RA into something more: lifting up his fellow students. “I’m not the best RA, but I care for the people that live there,” he said. “That’s why they want me back a third year: because that’s what I’m good at.”
Aounallah encourages anyone interested in applying for an RA position to remember the true gravity of the position. “I feel like a lot of people just do it for free housing — and that’s fair — but you have to realize that this job is more than just free housing,” Aounallah said. “When you’re an RA, you’re responsible for the health and well-being of these people. Just treat people how you would want to be treated and do it for the right reasons.” The job is not just sunshine, rainbows and unlocking doorsBeing an RA, Aounallah said, can be mentally and physically taxing, especially combined with being a full-time student. “It is difficult at times, mentally, physically and emotionally, because you can’t really take a break,” Aounallah said. However, since many RAs have lived in a dorm, Aounallah says it’s easy to relate to the problems that some of the residents have. “We’ve all been freshmen,” he said. “We understand all of the friend drama; all the homesickness; all the mental issues you have, and it’s very challenging. But, just being there for someone who is suicidal or has just been through a super traumatic moment in their life [is rewarding].” The challenges, according to Aounallah, are worth it because of the impact he can make in students’ lives. According to him, being able to help students through difficult times is the truly important part of being an RA. “I love it, even the small stuff,” Aounallah said. “Like, if you’re having a bad day and someone says ‘Hey man, how’s it going? Hope you’re having a good day,’ You just feel this spark of happiness. So, that’s why I do what I do.”
CONTRIBUTED BY SADOK AOUNALLAH
Sadok Aounallah poses outside of Aubie residence hall where he was an RA for the 2018-2019 year.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
January 23, 2020
Not your momma’s trailer park Trailers provide alternative living experience for students By SAMANTHA STRUNK and JACK WEST Campus Writer and Managing Editor
Auburn is well known for its agricultural roots. We’re a cow college, a plant school. In 1979, Auburn students even elected Bessie, a dairy cow, to be Miss Auburn. And, to complete that down-home, pasture-loving image, a large chunk of Auburn students choose to live in trailer parks instead of dorms, apartments or condos. However, despite the cultural image of trailers, Auburn students have made living in mobile homes a positive part of their college experience. David Armstrong, sophomore in industrial and systems engineering, has lived in a trailer since coming to the Plains two years ago. He co-owns a trailer off of Wire Road with his roommate and, the two of them plan to live there until they graduate.
Armstrong said that when his family was looking for housing in college, trailers appealed to them for financial reasons. “My parents are paying a good amount of my tuition so they want something that we can get back once I’m done with college,” he said. Armstrong and his parents expect to get something back after he graduates because they had to buy the trailer instead of renting it. Then, degree in hand, Armstrong can sell the trailer to the next generation of Auburn students. Instead of having to pay a high monthly rent like in an apartment, people who live in trailers often only have to pay a small amount to rent the lot and pay for utilities like electricity and water. Another option that trailers afford students is the ability to pack up their college
rooms and literally take them with them. Most apartments can’t roll off their lot, but nearly all of the trailers can. “It’s not like campers and RVs though,” Armstrong said. “You have to get an 18-wheeler to drag it out of there.” A lot of trailer parks also have age limits for their trailers, meaning that once a trailer reaches a certain age, it can’t stay on the lot. “They don’t want any trailers that are too old per se,” Armstrong said. “They want to keep it up and make it look clean and nice.” Keeping all of the trailers modern, updated and well-landscaped is one of the ways that Auburn trailer parks continue to attract students. “If you buy a trailer that’s already there, nine times out of ten they are going to have an air conditioning unit,” Armstrong said. “Everything should be up to date.” For residents, the landscaping can involve some yard work — which most apartment renters don’t have to think about — but Armstrong said it makes sense and is worth it.
ABBY SCHMIDT / GRAPHIC DESIGNER
“It gets annoying sometimes, especially when my roommate and I are doing stuff for school, but I get it,” he said. “It’s a bit like owning your own house.” Armstrong said this extra responsibility was one of the things that attracted him and his parents to living in a trailer. “I kind of wanted to live there anyways because I grew up knowing how to cook and knowing how to clean,” he said. “My parents wanted to teach me how to maintain a house.” There are, of course, some drawbacks to trailer life. Some of the most prevalent are the severe storms that often threaten the South. Earlier this month, Auburn — and most of Alabama — spent a day under a tornado warning. The high winds and debris that come with tornadoes can be particularly harmful to trailers. For this reason, the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine opens some of its facilities to members of the community that need to take shelter. “The trailer park always sends me and my roommate an email about where we need to go,” Armstrong said. “We usually will go to the veterinary school which is about five minutes away from my trailer park.” Another concern for a lot of Auburn students looking for housing is how close they can live to campus. Since many of the largest trailer parks are on Wire Road, walking is generally out of the question. However, since so many students live in these parks, there are multiple Tiger Transit routes which stop either at or near them. “Nobody likes to walk; I don’t at least,” Armstrong said. “But [...] a lot of other trailer parks have easy access to the transit system.” Overall, living in a trailer while in college is a kind of Auburn tradition. In fact, Armstrong’s dad lived in one when he attended pharmacy school here in the early 90s. Plus, the strings of Christmas lights and plastic chairs underneath the tall, spindly pine trees are part of Auburn’s charm. “We bought this place [...] to put a ceiling over me and my roommate,” Armstrong said. “But now I love how quiet it is.”
January 23, 2020
The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
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Moving from a dorm to an apartment By JORDAN WINDHAM Campus Writer
Finding the housing you want in college can be difficult. Moving while in college can seem even worse. Hunting for apartments and navigating realty companies while taking classes can make it feel like the Auburn jungle isn’t just for the basketball team. However, when entering a jungle, it’s advisable to take maps. A guide of what you’re seeking in an apartment — especially one separated into “must haves” and preferences — is essential. Mary Clai Chase, sophomore in elementary education, recently moved
from the Hill dorms to an apartment complex. She found her apartment by scouring Auburn realtors’ websites for availabilities. While living in an apartment has many amenities, according to Mary Clai, compromises must be made. Affordability and a full kitchen were must-haves for Mary Clai, and some of her preferences like a quality gym had to be sacrificed. “We wanted to be in a good location but still affordable, and we definitely found that there.” she said. Safety is another important aspect to keep in mind, especially if you will be out after dark.
“When transitioning into a new apartment, students should look for safe and affordable locations,” Mary Clai said. “It’s even a good idea to go by the complex at night and see how well lit it is.” Christopher Chase, a sophomore in Physics, moved from the Village dorms to an apartment near campus this year. His priorities in looking for an apartment were affordability, more personal space and being able to park closer to where he lived. His favorite parts of life as an apartment-dweller are the extra space, being able to customize his room and having his own furniture. “My spine thanks me for purchasing furniture more comfortable than the ba-
sic dorm stuff,” Christopher said. He explained he found his apartment through a family friend who owned a condo. When looking at places, Christopher suggests taking tours of the properties and considering how far the apartment is from campus to find the ideal combination. Finding housing and then moving into that housing while also trying to balance classes and a social life can be stressful. However, it helps to remember that you are not the only one hacking through the vines and undergrowth of Auburn’s realty markets. Plenty of other explorers have found houses, apartments, condos and trailers to call home.
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The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
January 23, 2020
January 23, 2020
The Auburn Plainsman: Housing 2020
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OPINION
Living on campus has helped me be social ... by force By CHARLIE RAMO Community Reporter
I have been living on campus for my freshman year, and it has both opened up doors to amazing opportunities and slammed other doors in my face. I have had an overall positive experience this year, but there are multiple occasions where on-campus living has restricted me. My main gripe about living on campus has been the parking situation. Most of us freshmen were banished to Resident Overflow parking, never to be heard from again. Furthermore, the parking lot is practically closer to Tuscaloosa than Auburn. On top of that, the Haley West bus route only runs on weekdays, meaning that I and many others are trapped on campus for weekends. Only the most athletic of students can survive the gruesome walk to the RO lot. If you park anywhere other than the RO lot, your car will be towed faster than you can say, “Auburn University Parking Services.” Additionally, every dorm option on campus uses some sort of suite-style bathroom — as opposed to a communal bathroom on each floor. This may sound like a positive to an unexperienced college applicant, but this has proven to be a bigger headache than anything over time.
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The issue is, this setup is based off the assumption that someone can say, “Hello there, freshman. I know you have no practical life skills and are finally moving out of your mommy’s basement. Now, don’t forget to clean the bathroom. Good luck!” The bathrooms can quickly become disgusting if no one makes time to clean them. Also, a bathroom shared by four people has the potential to be the biggest bottleneck imaginable in the morning. If all four residents have class at roughly the same time in the morning, there is an unspoken race for the bathroom, where the loser is late to class. Food options on campus are acceptable on a good day, but practically nonexistent on a bad one. The Foy cafeteria shuts down on weekends, leaving only the Village and Hill cafeterias open. Chick-Fil-A is often our only saving grace on Saturdays, but the otherwise lack of options makes on-campus meals on weekends difficult. Despite these nuisances, living in an on-campus dorm has provided me with opportunities and experiences I would not have otherwise. Living in a dorm has also
forced me to be more social — whether I wanted to or not. Resident Assistants live in every dorm, and on top of keeping the chaos at bay, they are paid to be friends with the residents. They have to fill out reports to prove they talk to and hang out with their residents, so it is best to use this to your advantage. RAs also hold the occasional social event, usually involving food in some way. These are both a great way to meet people in your building and to get free food. I have underutilized these opportunities, which I now regret. I couldn’t even remember my suitemates’ names until this semester. Though having a roommate could seem like a negative in some situations, I have had primarily positive experiences. My roommate and I take the same classes, so we can help each other with homework and remind each other when assignments are due. We do not pretend to be best friends, but we like to help each other and share our supplies occasionally. Dorms also have space for residents to watch movies, sports or play games. In the Quad, each building has a lobby with couches and a TV. In Broun Hall, the Quad Honors dorm, the basement is an Honors
College space for studying and building forts, though the latter is unofficial and highly frowned upon. All honors students have swipe access to the basement and that’s one of the best places to watch a game on Saturday. Dorm residents usually do not have a full kitchen to cook meals, so most people go out to eat frequently. Though this can be expensive, it provides an extra opportunity for friends to spend time together, even during busy weeks. An extra cherry on top of this is how close to the start of a class I can wake up. While many off-campus students have to budget upwards of two hours to get to class, I can get to class within 20 minutes of getting out of bed, if necessary. Close proximity to everything on campus also makes it easier to get involved with clubs and organizations. My late-night meetings are no more than 5 minutes from my dorm, no matter where on campus they are. I also do not have to worry about finding a place to park on my way there. Considering the multitude of positives and the minor negatives, I do not regret living on campus in the slightest, especially during my freshman year. I will likely live on campus next fall as well, and I have no reason to believe my feelings toward the experience will change.
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