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2023 HOUSING GUIDE
is published by The Standard, Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by the students on The Standard staff.
Welcome to the housing guide! Choosing a place to call home can be a difficult feat, especially for college students who have
Dorottya Faa illustrator
Em Blackstone reporter
Hope Blaylock reporter
Jade Morrow sports reporter
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Liliana Hayes reporter
Alyssa Farrar reporter
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Professional staff
Jack Dimond faculty adviser
never chosen a home before. From choosing between dorm living or off-campus housing, to choosing the perfect decor to fill a space (see pg. 6), housing can be a long, thoughtful process. If you’re looking for more information or advice for all of your housing needs, you’re in the right place!
As you peruse this guide, you will learn about furnishing apartments (see pg. 26), registering an emotional support animal (see pg. 14) and helpful cooking services (see pg. 22 and 23). We hope that this collection of stories helps guide you throughout your process of choosing and creating a home that’s perfect for you.
To learn more about on-campus and off-campus housing options, attend The Standard’s annual Housing Expo on Wednesday, March 8, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the North Mall.
-Jenna Murray, Editor
Blair-Shannon House – 1001 E. Madison St.
• Adjoining living area
• Spacious computer lab
• Dining center located in the building
Freudenberger House – 1000 E. Madison St.
• Wardrobes available for each student
• Microwave in room
• Co-ed facility
Hammons House – 1001 E. Harrison St.
• En-suite bathroom
• Open during breaks
• Community TV lounge
Heitz House – 811 S. Holland Ave.
• Reserved space in parking garage
• Coffee shop and convenience store
• 2-person bedrooms
Hutchens House – 1021 E. Harrison St.
• Dining center connected to building
• Desk and chairs for each student
• Suite style bedrooms
Kentwood Hall – 700 E. Saint Louis St.
• Suite style rooms
• TV streaming
• Adjustable loft beds
Scholars House – 1116 E. Cherry St.
• 4-person suites
• Close to Garst Dining Center
• Honors community
Wells House – 1132 E. Madison St.
• Close to Plaster Student Union and Bookstore
• Community style bathrooms
• 2-person rooms, 4-person suites
Woods House – 1115 Bear Blvd.
• Fridge and microwave in room
• Private bathrooms
• Large recreation lounge
Monroe Apartments – 1141 Bear Blvd.
• Private bedrooms available
• In-unit laundry
• Limited private parking
Sunvilla Tower – 833 E. Elm St.
• Full XL bed for each student
• In-unit Smart TVs
• Recreation rooms
Want to try dorm life? Apply for housing at reslife. missouristate.edu/Apply.
File photos/THE STANDARD
D@free_allie
Moving into an empty space or redesigning a current living area can be a difficult undertaking for those who are inexperienced in interior design. What’s the best way to make a dorm room into a cozy home when you only have a small amount of space to work with?
Senior interior design student Maia Williams provides helpful tips for making your space your own.
“To find good decor, I’d recommend Facebook Marketplace; it’s always local and you never know what you’re going to find,” Williams said. “For someone who may not be concerned with being trendy, you can probably go to a local Target or Homegoods to find good quality products. There are also a lot of flea markets and thrift stores in Springfield. If you like vintage styles, there are always opportunities there.”
Williams discussed how to avoid making a space feel too cheap or dated when thrifting items.
“I think the quality of the piece is important. You don’t want to buy an item that’s lower quality, and if you accumulate those kinds of items, (your space) can start to feel cluttered,” Williams said. “Upcycling is also a great idea. Taking a damaged item and trying to change it into something new or trying to repair it can be very useful.”
To maximize space, utility and comfort in space, WIlliams also said to avoid overdecorating.
“When we get our first apartments, our urge is to fill up the space as much as possible, but sometimes it can get in the way,” Williams said. “Find the practicality in items and remember their purpose instead of mindlessly buying items and not remembering what items you already have.”
Williams offered advice to those living in spaces that can’t damage their walls with mounts, paint or other usual decor-hanging methods: try to use floor stencils, peel-and-stick
wallpaper and large posters to take up space.
“I think that old patterns can start to get mixed with newer things without making them disappear,” Williams said. “I don’t think trends completely disappear over time.” She added that she sees a lot of earthy tones and more pops of color infusing spaces as spring and summer return.
For students struggling to find their own design style or inspiration for their space, Williams recommended using social media platforms.
“Pinterest is what everyone usually goes to first, but I think that Instagram is such an easy way to find what people in the industry are actually producing, and it feels a little more realistic,” Williams said. “Ideas on Pinterest can sometimes feel hard to access or are completely unaffordable. Finding companies’ accounts that fit your style and interest can help a lot in your journey.”
Ultimately, Williams said making your space your own and filling it with things that make you happy is the best first step in designing your home.
More easily accessible resources to find good decor around the Missouri State University campus and online include:
• EstateSales.net, a database for nearby sales of decor and other household items.
• Allposters.com and Defining.co, are websites to find thousands of different posters.
• Local antique shops, including Impulse 1672 Vintage & Gifts, Queen City Collectors, Hakaar’s Bazaar and Retro Discount City.
• Nearby modern decor shops, such as At Home; Bed, Bath, and Beyond; Homegoods; Kirkland’s; Tuesday Morning; The Market; and Obelisk Home.
• Thrift stores like Red Racks, Thrift Haven, Next to New Shop, After Thoughts Thrift and Shop and Goodwill.
Moving away from home and into a college dorm can be a stressful time, especially if you don’t know how to prepare for it. Every university has different necessities and rules about what not to bring, so going through giant online packing lists can be a pain. Perfect your packing list with this specially curated lineup of frequently overlooked do’s and don’ts for Missouri State students.
Ahh… Missouri weather. If you’re not from the area, you probably aren’t familiar with the rollercoaster Mother Nature takes Springfield on. One day you’re freezing on your walk to class, and the next you’re sweating through your shirt. If you’re like me and find it hard to sleep when it’s too warm, a portable fan is a must-have.
While they’re often allowed at apartments, air fryers are one big safety hazard in a dorm room setting. It takes only a few minutes of being distracted for the appliance to overheat and start a fire. Residence Life takes the hazard seriously, resulting in many students having their fryers confiscated and having their whole suite written up for the offense.
“It creates a lot of problems for all people involved,” said Drina Harring, a sophomore Hutchens House resident assistant. “I have also heard about people ordering them to the building. When they arrive — usually in a box that shows exactly what it is — we have to wait and tell the resident they aren’t allowed to have it and would have to take it out of Hutchens.”
Thanks once again to Missouri’s unpredictable weather, you never know when you’ll be greeted with a downpour right before you need to get to your 8 a.m. class. I’d suggest a compact one that won’t take up a lot of space in your backpack. Some people pack raincoats and boots too, but an umbrella is a great starting place for your first semester.
“Candles get confiscated a lot,” said Marinda Ludwig, senior Hammons House RA.
Candles are seen as a fire hazard in the dorms, similar to air fryers, even if they are never lit. The risk is too high, so you might as well leave them behind.
It’s frustrating to completely rearrange your furniture on move-in day only to realize none of your outlets are easily accessible anymore. If you plan on bringing a TV, plugging multiple things in at once, or all your charging cords are ridiculously short, it’d be smart to bring an extension cord, a power surge or both.
This includes any alcohol paraphernalia like shot glasses, empty bottles or boxes and pitchers. Basically, if it has alcohol in it or used to have alcohol in it, it isn’t allowed on the premises because of MSU’s dry campus policy. While there are exceptions for students living in Monroe and Sunvilla, generally speaking, being a dry campus means that alcoholic beverages are banned even if you’re 21 years old. The consequences can be severe — ranging from a fine starting at $90 to suspension — so save your skin by leaving the alcohol at home.
Every room has overhead lighting, but sometimes that can be overbearing and intrusive on our eyes. You may want to study for an exam with the help of a desk lamp or have a movie night under the warmth of a golden light. Bringing another form of lighting can make your living space feel more like a home.
Personally, extra storage is a necessity for me because I know I’m an over-packer at heart. However, depending on who you ask, you’ll get a wide range of opinions on the matter.
“There’s always stuff that needs to be stored away,” Harring said. “Without extra storage, you might not have that option.”
Conversely, extra storage can sometimes be excessive.
“I brought way more than I needed. Most people do,” Ludwig said “You don’t need nearly as much storage as you think you need, usually.”
How much extra storage you want to bring ultimately will depend on your lifestyle.
That’s right, we’re located right across the street from Missouri State! Your apartment is more than convenient. Not only will you save money on gas, it turns that hour between classes into a much-needed nap.
Commuting? A phrase you once knew.
Choose the location because no driving means you can hit snooze 1, 2 or even 5 more times. Choose Boomer Town because you know an apartment should do more and be more than just a place to sleep.
Choose a studio because, let’s be real, roommates suck.
That’s right, we’re located right across the street from Missouri State! Your apartment is more than convenient. Not only will you save money on gas, it turns that hour between classes into a much-needed nap.
Commuting? A phrase you once knew.
Choose the location because no driving means you can hit snooze 1, 2 or even 5 more times. Choose Boomer Town because you know an apartment should do more and be more than just a place to sleep.
Choose a studio because, let’s be real, roommates suck.
As a college student, you have the luxury of enjoying an unprecedented level of independence and freedom. Along the way, however, you will encounter difficult decisions that you will have to make - one of which being the decisions of where you choose to call home. There are many options to choose from when it comes to housing - student by-the-bed housing versus traditional apartment, roommate or no-roommate, etc. There are several factors that you should consider when choosing where you want to live and experience your college days; here are a few.
Let’s first address what “By the Bed Housing” is. When you rent by-the-bed, this means that you are renting an individual room in an apartment and sharing the common space. For example, if you lease a bedroom in a 4-bedroom apartment ,you will have your private bedroom (and oftentimes bathroom) but will share the living room, kitchen and balcony space with the other suite-mates.
There are pros and cons to this type of living. The biggest pro is that each person is responsible for their own lease and their own rent, even if a suite-mate moves out. The con to this type of living, however, is that you oftentimes are being paired and sharing common living spaces with roommates that you do not know.
Traditional apartment leasing is when you are renting the entirety of the apartment and are responsible for the entire lease. When choosing to live with friends, all roommates are under one lease agreement and the rent is split amongst the roommates. The pro to this type of living is the freedom to select who you are sharing your space with - or maybe you just choose to have the apartment all to yourself. The con would be that if a roommate chooses to leave, the entire rent would still be owed.
Entrust Property Solutions specializes in traditional housing. If you are looking for the perfect apartment to share with your friends, check out Bear Gardens Apartments or Apple Court Apartments. For those looking for more independence and privacy, Greenway Studios and Boomer Town Studios is the ideal place to call homeall to yourself.
One of the reasons for choosing off-campus housing is to expand the college experience beyond campus, while still residing in close enough proximity for a convenient and cost effective commute to
school. Having the ability to walk or bike to school helps avoid the cost of campus parking passes. Not to mention, living quarters close to campus allow for easy idle time between classes.
In addition to the location of your apartment to campus, you also want to consider your surroundings in regards to restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Conveniently, Missouri State is located in the heart of Springfield and walking distance from downtown Springfield, which includes restaurants, bars, fitness, entertainment venues and shopping boutiques.
If you are looking for the perfect off-campus housing that puts you walking distance from both campus and all that downtown Springfield has to offer, we suggest checking out Boomer Town Studios, eStreet Apartments, Walnut Shade, or Walnut Place Apartments.
The time has come and you are getting your very own apartment, which means that you can either reunite with the pet you left behind with mom and dad, or you may be ready to take the next big step and get a pet of your own. For this reason, it is important to look into the pet policy at the apartment homes you are researching. Make sure that not only the community allows pets, but that the space is conducive and welcoming for your furry friend. Entrust Property Solutions is proud to welcome pets at all of their locations - check out Greenway Studios, Boomer Town Studios or any property managed by Entrust Property Solutions.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when deciding where to experience your college days in terms of housing - and we have only scratched the surface. Our recommendation, take your time to consider what you truly want in an apartment, make a list, and prioritize. Entrust Property Solutions is proud to have a versatile portfolio of apartments for you to call home. Entrust Property Solutions offers both furnished and unfurnished apartment homes and floor plans ranging from studio apartments to 3-bedroom apartments. We invite you to view all of our apartment communities at www.teamentrust.com.
While most students spend their days on campus south of Elm Street, those who journey a few blocks further north will find a Missouri State University building with a unique history: Kentwood Hall.
According to a Historical Postcards of Springfield article from the Greene County Library, the Kentwood Arms Hotel, now Kentwood Hall, was built in 1926 by local developer John T. Woodruff. The Kentwood Arms was a five-story hotel featuring the Crystal Dining Room, which was commonly rented for dances, banquets and meetings.
In the following years, the Kentwood Arms Hotel changed ownership from Woodruff to Earl Moulder in 1939 and from Moulder to the C. Arch Bay Company in 1968. During that time, the hotel would host notable visitors including Harry Truman, Pat Nixon, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, Rogers and Hammerstein, and Jeanette McDonald.
According to the timeline printed on a bear statue outside the building, the hotel even hosted a Richard Nixon press conference during his first presidential run. It was then in 1960 that the hotel was desegregated.
In 1983, the building was sold to John Q. Hammons, a name familiar to many members of the MSU community. Shortly after, Hammons sold the building to the university – then Southwest Missouri State University – in 1984.
According to the Historical Marker Database website, “Southwest Missouri State University used a college housing loan from the United States Department of Education to purchase Kentwood Hall, formerly the Kentwood Arms Hotel, from the Kentwood Arms Hotel Company. The SMSU Board of Regents authorized purchase of the property on November 18, 1983.”
Once purchased by MSU, the Kentwood Arms Hotel became Kentwood Hall, the fifth residence hall to open on campus following Wells House, Freudenberger House, Blair-Shannon House and Woods House.
“The Kentwood Hall renovation was com-
pleted in two phases,” said the Historical Marker Database. “The renovation of the motel units was completed in November 1987 at a cost of $151,503. The hotel renovation was completed in October 1988 at a cost of $1,464,000. Both phases of the renovation were funded through the college housing loan.”
In Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 2, published in August 2013, University President Clif Smart announced that Kentwood Hall would once again undergo major renovations during the summer of 2014. BRP Architects, an architectural firm based in Springfield, was hired to help restore and renovate Kentwood Hall.
“Change orders during construction were minimal, which is unusual for major renovation projects,” said BRP’s website. “Completed in time for the 2014 semester, the project included a complete refurbishing of all student rooms, 104 in total, renovations of staff apartment and office renovations, a new kitchen area in the student lounge and new finishes in the public restrooms.”
Following renovations, the hall continued to house students, offering private, two-person, doubles and three-person rooms with en-suite bathroom and adjustable-height loft-style beds.
According to the MSU website, Kentwood Hall also offered “super doubles” rooms, which included a flat-screen TV and additional seating.
However, when MSU reopened in the fall of 2020 after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kentwood Hall was no longer available as a residence option for students living on campus. Instead, the hall was converted to isolation housing for quarantining students.
According to prior coverage by The Standard, five locations were available for isolating students who had been exposed to COVID-19 or were symptomatic, but had not yet tested positive. Kentwood Hall was the one on-campus location for quarantining, along with the four locations located off campus — Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven, Greenstay Hotel & Suites, The Christina Apartments and Bear Village.
As COVID-19 cases on campus decreased, Kentwood Hall transitioned away from being used as isolation housing. While the building
still isn’t available as a residential option for students living on campus, the building didn’t stay empty.
Kentwood Hall was used for resident check-in at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, according to the Missouri State University Residence Life Move-in Guide 2021-2022.
“This year, Kentwood Hall is being used for conference housing and special interest groups,” said Teresa Frederick, director of Residence Life, Dining and Housing Services. “We anticipate it will continue to be used in this capacity for the 23-24 academic year.
Regardless of who is being housed in Kentwood Hall, the Crystal Room continues to be utilized as an event space available for reservation.”
According to the Kentwood Hall Facebook page, the building hosted organizations including the Missouri Rotary Youth Leadership Award Academy and the Rotary Club of Springfield, as well as opening its parking lot to participants of the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
Despite a century’s worth of change, Kentwood continues to open its historic doors to members of the Springfield community.
After a long, hard day of classes at Missouri State University, resident assistant Marinda Ludwig travels back to her dorm room in Hammons House to be greeted by her furry companion, Goob.
Goob, named after the character Michael Yagoobian from Disney’s “Meet the Robinsons,” is a six-year-old gray cat that Ludwig describes as “calm-tempered,” “snuggly” and “like a stinky old man.”
Ludwig adopted Goob, her registered emotional support animal, in October of 2021 from Rescue One, a foster-based animal rescue in Springfield. Before Ludwig adopted Goob, he was living in a foster home for about a month.
Prior to living in foster care, Goob was a neighborhood cat that lived on the streets without a true home. Now, he’s loved and cared for by Ludwig.
“He is a very confident cat; even when the fire alarm goes off, he doesn’t hide,” Ludwig said. “I think he just thinks he owns the place, so he’s very happy and content.”
Goob is known by friends for his big appetite; Ludwig has to keep his food container lid duct taped to keep out his sticky paws.
“One of his biggest traits, honestly his whole personality, is he loves food,” Ludwig said. “He’s unbelievably food-motivated. He’ll do anything to get food. He has broken into food in cabinets and drawers. He is like a man on a heist if there’s food to be had somewhere.”
Ludwig is a senior in her second year of being a resident assistant. Last year, she lived in Hutchens House, while this year she lives in the neighboring Hammons House.
“I became an RA because I wanted to help new students and to get the benefits of free housing,” Ludwig said. “I wanted to help students have a better transition than I did. I had a weird transition with COVID.”
However, Ludwig says she would likely not have become an RA if Goob wasn’t allowed to live with her.
“Living alone seems super great because you’re annoyed with your roommates or whatever, but it takes a very mature person and a certain type of person to be able to walk in a room alone every night and feel content,” Ludwig said.
Ludwig is not the only one who reaps the benefits of her ESA’s support. Her residents also love Goob and often ask to visit him in her dorm.
“They love being able to come in and pet him and play with him, especially since most of them don’t have their own,” Ludwig said. “Residents love coming to visit animals. I think it just gives everyone that happiness and boost of serotonin that they need when school or life gets really tough.”
Emotional support animals can help people cope with anxiety, stress or other difficult emotions. Goob is always there for Ludwig when she needs extra support.
“He’s a great companion; he calms me down,” Ludwig said. “If you get an animal that’s naturally sympathetic, sometimes they can even identify when you’re feeling those emotions.”
Despite all the benefits, owning a pet while living in university housing is not always the most convenient option.
“Living with a pet at our age kind of limits the things you can do, like I can’t travel abroad because I don’t have anyone to give him to,” Ludwig said. “You’re not supposed to sleep anywhere but in your room with your pet, so even if I want to go home for a weekend it’s technically not allowed to leave my pet here for the weekend.”
Because Ludwig is an RA, Goob is labeled as her “workplace accommodation,” so she registered him through the deputy compliance officer, Julia Holmes. She had to show proof of Goob’s vaccinations to get him registered but doesn’t have to pay any additional pet fees.
According to MSU’s website, most students register their emotional support animals through the Disability Resource Center. If approved, the student must adhere to a set of rules, including taking proper care of the pet and taking responsibility for any damages. An emotional support animal may be removed from university housing if these guidelines are not followed.
Ludwig recommends other students have an emotional support animal like Goob, especially those who truly need the extra comfort.
To learn more about registering an emotional support animal with the university, visit missouristate.edu/Policy/ Chapter5.
In the case for on-campus housing, the pros really come down to the three C’s: convenience, camaraderie and the college experience.
The most obvious reason to live on campus is the first C: convenience. Living in a dorm or apartment at Missouri State cuts down on many of the hassles of transportation that come with being a full-time student.
As someone who works at the university and attends several in-person classes a week, being within walking distance of everywhere on campus has been a life-saver these past three years. I remain active throughout the year and don’t truly need to use my car any more than I want to. This convenience and ease of access remain integral to both my busy schedule and my traffic-hating sanity.
Another major perk of on-campus living comes in camaraderie. To put it plainly, I have met some of the best friends I’ve ever had through my experiences in dorm life. These friends have been both roommates randomly assigned to me and people I met who lived on my floor or in my building.
Of course, these same connections can be formed in traditional apartments, and only some dorms will have a close-knit community. Still, something about dorm life just makes these bonds come easier. When you’re living with people who attend the same school, have similar goals and are at a similar place in life as yourself it’s hard not to find some form of com-
panionship. This hasn’t always been my experience, but by and large, friendships form naturally in dorm life.
More than any other perk of on-campus living, I view on-campus housing as a vital aspect of the college experience. Living in a dorm, you get to be right next to the action, present for all the house events and campus activities you may otherwise miss when forced to commute. It’s a lot harder to get the full effect of what belonging to a campus is like when observing it from a distance.
I won’t lie – living in a dorm isn’t all perks. Communal bathrooms can be a nightmare. I’ve spent many nights walking 10 minutes from Bear Park North after losing my parking spot. Adoration of your roommates will certainly vary.
But isn’t this all part of the college experience? Can one truly say they’ve experienced the full scope of college life without living in a dorm, for all the good and bad dorm life may entail?
There are other benefits to on-campus housing. Scholarships and housing stipends have certainly influenced my decision to live at MSU. Getting into on-campus apartments after my freshman year gave me much more incentive to stick around than staying in a dorm for four years would.
More than anything though, the three C’s of living on campus have helped me feel like I’ve gotten the full scope of college life. For whatever cons it may have, the convenience, camaraderie and college experience make dorm life well worth living.
STRICKLAND Sports Editor D@m_strickland28Living off-campus as a college student may sound intimidating. Paying rent and utilities, having gas money to get to and from campus, buying your own groceries and cooking meals again can be challenging after living on campus or at home but it is possible and worth it!
On Missouri State University’s Financial Aid homepage, food and housing are listed as an estimated $10,010 for on-campus living. This is higher than the estimated tuition, which sits at $8,604.
I currently live off-campus with three other roommates and we split $1,315 a month in rent for a four-bed, two-bath house. We only pay $328.75 each. Financially, living off-campus has been extremely beneficial. After a year, we have only paid $3,945, much less than the estimated on-campus cost.
I am only able to be in college because of the scholarships I have earned and now that I live off-campus, I can use my refund to help pay my rent, other bills and even purchasing supplies and decor.
Furnishing and stocking your new place can be both exciting and very stressful. This is more than likely the first time you have had
full responsibility for an entire space. Finding items to furnish the house is best found at places like Dollar General, Walmart and Target.
I lived on campus both freshman and sophomore year in Woods and Hammons, and while both were convenient, nothing beats having your own room again.
Privacy is something that you can’t really get on campus or living with a parent. As an adult with a house, you are able to go to your room without any question or concern. You are also able to leave rooms if someone else needs privacy.
Another great reason to find a place of your own is not having to answer to anyone. You get to make your own rules and get to be responsible for your own choices. At home, you may still have your parents’ influence. In the dorms, you have a resident assistant. In your own space, there are no quiet hours, there are no curfews and no need to show an I.D. when you come home.
For me, living in my house has had the comfort of living at home and the excitement of not needing to answer to someone else. It has given me my first real sense of adulthood and I have learned so much during my time off campus.
Although students at Missouri State University come from a variety of cities, counties and states, for many the university is a close neighbor to their family home.
According to the MSU website, 6,476 students enrolled at MSU are from the greater Springfield area, which includes Greene, Polk, Dallas and Webster counties. For many of those students, commuting is an option beginning freshman year.
Students under 21 with fewer than 27 credit hours are required to live in university housing, but some are able to file for a commuter exception.
According to the university’s commuter exception form, “Requests for Exceptions to the University Housing Policy are evaluated independently and in the order in which they are received.” In order to qualify as a commuter, the student must also confirm their residence with a parent, legal guardian or grandparent who’s permanent address is within 45 miles of MSU.
While the entirety of the counties in the greater Springfield area is not within 45 miles of MSU, many towns are. For students in the area, remaining at home provides significant benefits. One major benefit stems from a common concern for college students: money.
Across the nine residence halls, MSU charges rates ranging from $6,388 to $8,892 a year for non-private rooms. Additionally, meal plans cost upwards of $2,000 a year, according to the university’s website.
Costs of off-campus housing can drain the bank quickly as well, with the average monthly
rent in Springfield being $1,147, according to Forbes Advisor.
For students like me who chose to live with my parents 17 miles from campus for the entirety of my undergraduate program, these costs meant the difference between struggling to pay and graduating debt-free.
Along with the money I saved, I found myself able to adjust better to the rapid changes in lifestyle and additional stressors college presented me with.
According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Learning Center, “College students commonly experience stress because of increased responsibilities, a lack of good time management, changes in eating and sleeping habits, and not taking enough breaks for self-care.”
While I and many of the commuters I know certainly experience the stress of increased responsibilities and have been challenged to better our time management, we were able to largely avoid adverse changes in eating and sleeping habits. In my three years at MSU I have certainly wondered how many minutes I’ve burned driving to campus, but I find it unable to deny that the strain of my daily drive is a lesser burden than the money I would have spent and the additional stress I would have faced living on campus or striking out on my own while studying full time.
The choice I made is not one universally available or advisable, but for students able to safely live at home and attend MSU, commuting is a valuable option to those looking to save money and avoid the additional stressors of college living.
NIXON Editor
@DesireeNixon17
After years of waiting, the newest dormitory on the Missouri State campus opened — Heitz House. This seven-story building offers many amenities to students.
Heitz offers private rooms for students. “Each room includes open closet spaces, loft-style beds, desks and set of drawers for each resident,” the MSU website says. “Single-user private bathrooms with toilets, sinks and showers are located throughout each floor. Bathrooms are cleaned and stocked by custodial staff.”
Michelle Madsen, assistant director of residence life housing and dining services, said while Heitz House can hold 400 students, it is currently housing 290 students. Madsen noted that this is a bonus for many
students as it allows the university to “meet the requests and needs of students seeking additional privacy.”
Heitz House is most similar to Woods House in that it offers private bathrooms for students. Instead of having a suite-style or community bathroom, the bathrooms are in the hallways with locks, Madsen said. However, there are some key differences when looking at Heitz compared to other residence halls.
“Heitz has a dining center on the first floor, as well as Market - Cafe 1905, a coffee shop and convenience store,” Madsen said.
While some other halls have a dining center, Heitz is unique in the dining options it has available. The dining center has a Mongolian grill and the Market - Cafe 1905 has kombucha on tap.
Madsen said “the apple pie kombucha is
really popular,” and that she has noticed more students in the dining hall this semester She suspects the word is getting around about the options.
Additionally, Heitz House is open over holiday breaks, including Thanksgiving, winter and spring break. Not all residence halls offer this. An interior courtyard and reserved parking garage are open just for the residents of Heitz.
Madsen says the cost of living at Heitz
is $7,076 for the year.
“Students can request a room change to Heitz,” Madsen said. “There are currently a few spaces for first-year students, a few for upper-class students and even a few private rooms available.”
Students who are interested in Heitz House should apply at My.MissouriState. edu where they will click on the campus life tab, the housing channel and then complete the application link.
Bear Village
There are a variety of housing options for Missouri State University students looking for a place to live near campus. Among the many choices students have, there are apartment complexes that cater specifically to Springfield’s college student body.
Bear Village is located at 840 S. Roanoke Ave. The complex was voted as the Best Off-Campus Housing Complex as well as having the best amenities in off-campus housing in the Standard’s Best of MSU 2022 issue.
Bear Village was voted as the Best Off-Campus Housing Complex as well as having the best amenities in off-campus housing in The Standard’s Best of MSU 2022 issue. The complex is located right across the street from Bear Park South and features in-unit washers and dryers, private bedrooms and pet friendliness. Some of the apartments even come furnished.
The complex also contains a gym, pool, outdoor courtyard and game room. To learn more about Bear Village, call 417862-2327 or visit their website at bearvillageapartments.com.
Aspen Heights
Located at 1028 E. St. Louis St., Aspen Heights is also a favorite among MSU students. The complex boasts amenities such as being a gated and pet friendly community in addition to providing fully-furnished apartments.
According to the website, availability at Aspen is very limited, so if you’re interested in making the complex your new home, call the office at 417-201-4593.
The Q’ube is another housing option for students trying to stay close to campus. This complex has a number of floor layouts with prices that range from $575 to $1,015 depending on how many rooms are in the apartment. Visit elevatemostate.com/the-qube or call 417-815-6438 for more information.
The 505
According to their website, The 505 is a luxury apartment complex in downtown Springfield that can help students experience off-campus housing in a new light. The 505 has availability right now for students looking to move in soon.
At The 505, tenants can enjoy amenities such as a yoga studio, pickleball court and highspeed Wi-Fi among others.
To learn more about The 505 or submit an application, visit the505springfield.com.
The Vue on Walnut has luxury apartments specifically for MSU students. Some of the Vue’s floor plans include amenities such as Smart TVs, designer furniture, stainless steel appliances and more. The Vue is also a pet-friendly complex with private study rooms, a resort-style pool and a 24-hour fitness center.
“We want our residents to be successful throughout their career at MSU,” says Vue’s website. “Vue on Walnut meets every need that you will have while in college so you can achieve what they came here for in an enjoyable atmosphere!”
Every off-campus housing complex has something for everyone. If you didn’t see anything you like here, don’t worry — there are plenty of other options in Springfield. To learn more about these housing options and others, visit The Standard’s Housing Expo on Wednesday, March 8!
Mon-Thu: 6:00am to 10:00pm
Fri: 6:00am to 7:00pm Sat-Sun: 11:00am to 7:00pm
FITNESS CENTER with cardio and weight equipment
Studios for dance and FITNESS CLASSES
Basketball and volleyball courts
RECREATIONAL POOL with warm water lap lanes and water-current channel
Indoor jogging TRACK
INDOOR ROCK-CLIMBING and bouldering walls
While it might feel difficult to keep your diet nutritious, affordable and sustainable in college, services like Tasty, Yummly, Hello Fresh and Purple Carrot can help students eat well without breaking the bank.
MADDY RICE Reporter D@maddy_rice17
College students often have to balance a busy schedule of classes, homework, a job, practices and other obligations. Finding time to plan and cook meals is often not a desirable option after long, tiring days.
Luckily, meal planning and prepping can help students ease their stress while saving money. Here are a few apps and meal services that students can utilize while on a budget.
Tasty is a popular app which has a rating of 4.8 stars on the Google Play Store. Tasty is a sub-brand of Buzzfeed and also has a popular YouTube channel, cookbooks and its own free app.
The Tasty app has over 3,000 free recipes varying in difficulty. The app is also relatively easy to navigate as it gives step-
by-step directions with videos of recipes. A special feature of the Tasty app is the ability to change the portion sizes based on how many people you are cooking for. You can also create your own personalized cookbooks of your favorite recipes and share them with friends.
Yummly is another recipe app similar to Tasty. Yummly is more personalized than Tasty by having the user take a survey beforehand about cuisine types, food allergies and cooking experience.
Similar to Tasty, Yummly lets you save your favorite recipes and includes a stepby-step video for recipes.
Yummly is free but offers an upgraded version for $4.99 a month. The premium version includes a meal planner, a calendar for recipe scheduling and pro recipes where you can cook in real time with a professional chef.
Perhaps the most well-known meal delivery services, HelloFresh has many plans and coupon codes to help students save money. Hello Fresh offers four basic meal plans: meat and vegetables, vegetables, low calorie and family friendly.
Hello Fresh starts at $7.49 per serving. What makes Hello Fresh special is all the promo codes college students can use to save money on the cost of meals. You can find these promo codes by watching or listening to different podcasts or influencers.
Purple Carrot is a plant-based meal delivery service. According to Purple Carrot’s website, all meals are vegan. There are three types of meal kits for people to choose from.
The first is your typical ingredients to make the meal yourself, with the second option being premade meals to heat up. The last meal kit that they offer is less prep. The less prep is the middle ground between the recipe meal kits and the premade meal kits.
The meal kits are available in either two or four servings. Each serving is $11, making it more expensive than Hello Fresh. The prepared meal and the less prep meals are $13 per serving.
Adopting and raising a pet takes hard work, but it can be a rewarding process to care for a creature and experience the love that a pet can bring. For students moving homes, a pet might be the only companion in a new place.
A lot of students grew up with pets; it’s common for someone to grow up with a cat or dog, maybe even smaller pets like lizards or hamsters. There’s a whole array of animal companions, and they all have their own personalities and needs. They all deserve a home, which is the mission of the Castaway Animals Rescue Effort animal shelter, which takes care of and finds homes
for a variety of animals.
CARE works with law enforcement and animal control to take in animals who have stayed too long in animal control and are next to be euthanized.
“Our rescues aren’t limited to dogs and cats like some of the other rescues,” said Rob Hardy, communications manager for CARE. “We rescue gerbils, birds, guinea pigs and hamsters. We go all the way up to our farm sanctuary, which has 40 horses.”
Animals are living creatures with their own personalities, and the truth is that not all people will match with all animals.
“A lot of people get lovestruck when they first enter the center,” said adoption counselor Annie Burk. “But we have adoption counselors who help potential adopters
to find the right pet for them.”
When renting, it’s important to know the policies an apartment or landlord has about pets. There might be restrictions on the weight, height or breed of the pet. Some apartments may allow small pets but not larger ones. It’s important to research these policies when moving into a new place.
Even if an apartment or housing option does allow pets, it’s important to not rush into adopting a pet.
“There is a fit for everyone,” Hardy said. “It’s just a matter of finding the right animal that will realistically fit into their situation.”
When adopting, shelter experts can help ensure pet-owners find the pet that’s the best fit for them. There are people who have
done this for years who can help you find an animal that will work with you longterm.
“A lot of larger dogs or more talkative dogs, and we know (potential adopters) live in a smaller apartment or close quarters, we might redirect them to a dog that wouldn’t be quite as talkative or one that wouldn’t require the same level of activity as a husky or another very active breed would,” said Hardy.
Small animals are still a big responsibility, but are an option when larger animals or breeds just aren’t going to work as well in an environment. Apartments don’t always have the best walls, and even if they’re allowed, a talkative pet probably isn’t the best bet.
Committing to adoption can be a wonderful thing and can make a house feel more like a home with an animal companion to keep you company.
For students living in residence halls and apartments on campus, pets are not allowed. However, students can register their animals as emotional support animals with the university. To learn more about the university’s emotional support animal policy, visit missouristate.edu/Policy/Chapter5.
Finding the right pet can be quite the undertaking, especially when you’re moving into a new home. When visiting the adoption center, consult with a shelter to expert to find a new furry friend.
ALYSSA FARRAR Reporter
D@MoonaBlu
Deciding on new furniture and decorations to fill an unfurnished apartment or home can be a daunting task for any student living in their own space for the first time. Purchasing essentials such as mattresses, storage space, toiletries and cookware can make costs add up fast when buying brand new, so investing in resold items is a cheap and sustainable solution.
Before going on a shopping frenzy at some local thrift stores, there are a couple of key tips to keep in mind. It is important to move in and get a feel for your new home before making a list of furniture you would like. Preparation such as measuring walls and countertops, agreeing on a layout and aesthetic with any roommates and budgeting
will result in a stress-reduced trip.
Understanding which items you would like to purchase second hand versus new from the store can vary from sanitary to quality reasons. Items such as towels, light bulbs or electronics may be something you want to have been previously unused and could be considered their own investments.
Located on Glenstone Avenue, Thrift Haven is a large space that has a lot of cooking supplies, blankets, pillows and desks that vary in price range. The store regularly updates its catalog and accepts both cash and card. Dollar Tree is located next door to Thrift Haven, so items including cleaning supplies, toilet paper and shower sponges can be purchased at a low price in one trip.
Bin Crazy is a rotating bin store located at 1749 S. Campbell Ave., where new items are switched out onto the floor at the top of each hour. Listed on the Bin Crazy website, prices and selection vary
based on the day, with $2 Tuesdays being the lowest and $10 Fridays being the highest per item. This location is a cash-only store. Next door, the Red Salvation Army has affordable house pieces such as carpets, couches and coffee machines. For furniture that requires repair or restoration, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a non-profit home improvement store that holds recycled materials and do-it-yourself supplies. This store also sells donated dressers, mattresses and hardware tools at a fraction of the retail price. According to the ReStore website, these items are updated daily,
and all the proceeds go towards supporting homeowners in achieving “strength and stability” in their spaces.
Missouri State’s Springfield campus has a Safe Exchange Zone available for students meeting up with sellers for Facebook Marketplace and Craiglist exchanges. Located at 636 E. Elm St. on the south side of police station, this parking space is monitored 24/7 and has a surveillance camera and an emergency phone available. If someone intends on meeting at this location, call 417-836-5509 to notify the police station in advance.
