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HOUSING GUIDE

By: Carlos Gonzalez

THE DT TAKES OVER

CAMPUS

Guide for successful roommate relationships

By AYNSLEY LARSEN Staff Writer

Living with roommates comes with many different obstacles; from cleaning habits to sleep schedules, no two people are exactly the same. Choosing a living partner is a decision that will impact every aspect of a person’s life, and therefore must be made carefully.

Emilee Hammond, a therapist at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, said two main components of a successful, healthy roommate relationship are communication and compromise.

Hammond, who works with life transitions, anger management and boundaries, of-

ten sees roommate conflicts in her office. When asked about the benefits of living with a friend versus a stranger, Hammond favored the in betweens.

“The best roommate situations that I see are right in between. They’re the friend of a friend, so they know someone who can vouch for them,” Hammond said. “I very rarely see friendships go well after roommates ... and strangers are like, ‘You know what? I don’t care; You’re not my friend.’”

Hammond said insufficient communication can hurt friendships when individuals choose to become roommates.

“Lots of friendships are ruined by living together,” Hammond said.

Friends tend to be too nice and avoid conflict, Hammond said. Instead of addressing an issue as it happens, both parties ignore the situation and move on, resulting in built up tension and longer lasting issues.

“People are just trying to maintain, when really boundaries and expectations would save a lot of roommates and friendships,” Hammond said.

Boundaries are important in roommate relationships. Establishing expectations is one of the many ways to promote healthy cohabitation and can be accomplished by different methods. Hammond recommended open, honest communication between roommates to promote con-

“The biggest thing I suggest is having a dinner, or even a very formal meeting (to say)

‘These are my expectations, this is what I want in a living partner,’” Hammond said.

Hammond also emphasized non-negotiables regarding compromise. Each roommate will have certain things that they are unwilling to settle on and defining those from the start will allow everyone to manage expectations, set boundaries and promote conversation and understanding.

“Living together is just a big compromise over and over again,” Hammond said. “How can we make a situation where both of those non-negotiables

are happy?”

A negative living environment can have detrimental effects on your everyday life. Hammond described dropping grades, destroyed friendships and the depletion of overall mental health as results of a poor living situation.

“From the moment you identify that this is not a safe place, you start to live in fight or flight mode. And when you’re in fight or flight mode, there’s not much you can do; there’s no learning that can be done, there’s no progress that can be made,” Hammond said. “And getting yourself out of fight or flight mode, especially in your living situation, is extremely difficult because that’s the place that you need to feel the most safe.”

Furthermore, Hammond suggested looking for an impartial mediator to help resolve conflict and address these negative environments. Look for a friend that will not pick a side, a mutual professor or even a representative at the counseling center.

Roman Konopah, a fourthyear psychology major of San Antonio, mentioned similar advice on behalf of TTU Risk Intervention and Safety Education (RISE).

Konopah, RISE Sexual Assault/Consent & Sexual Health Committee Chair, highlighted some of the resources the organization offers, including an impartial third-party option for students.

Approval for new residence hall

By MARIANNA SOURIALL Staff Writer

hold very much more,” senior managing director for university student housing Tanya Massey said. “That was partly because Bledsoe was under renovation, but what we realized is there’s a desire for more upperclassmen spaces, more suite style spaces. The goal of this project is to increase suite style housing availability that’s needed for upperclassmen. The new build will be designed very similar to Talkington but will be upperclassmen only.” West Village II is expected to open in Fall of ‘25, Massey said.

“Last

“We use West Village as part of our 12-month housing program, so we have a lot of students that

live out there year-round,” Massey said. “This is going to be added to that section of housing out there, so there’s a high likelihood that it will be open yearround.”

Regarding pricing, Massey said the amenities will influence the final price, but those are semantics that have not been decided yet.

Moreover, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction Billy Breedlove said during the Board of Regents meeting, the expected project budget is 38 million; the anticipated amount includes a 6-10 percent inflation rate on products. The initial budget approved at the meet-

ing will come from the university student housing funds.

Chief Financial Officer Noel Sloan said during the Board of Regents meeting, the new residential hall will permit renovations as part of a long-term strategy to provide sufficient housing facilities.

“An additional 300 beds also provides us the ability to take down wings of the other older residence halls so we can get in and do some renovations there,” Sloan said. “That is also going to give us enough beds to be able to flex between the upperclassmen returning students and where we need to do some renovation work.” The site is additionally

being evaluated for parking, but no decision has been made thus far.

Massey said the residence halls provide scaffolded levels of independence while maintaining a support system through the staff.

“We’re always at 100 percent occupancy in the fall and there is a waiting list of students who

“At RISE we are trained in talking with you about healthy and unhealthy relationships. That’s not just for romantic relationships, that can be for roommates, friendships, family. If you ever need someone to talk to or someone that has those resources, please come to the RISE office,” Konopah said. “We do have people that specialize in talking about those subjects, so feel free to come to the RISE office and talk to us.”

Konopah, along with Hammond, emphasized discussions between potential roommates and determining if you work and function well with another person before choosing to live with them.

“If possible, communicate with your roommate before you can move in with them, and don’t settle. If that person’s gonna be living with you for at least a year, you need to really think about that and really understand, ‘Is this ok for me?’” Konopah said.

Living with another person is complicated and requires constant effort and communication. In order to promote healthy and fair relationships amongst roommates, everyone involved has to be open to change, to compromise and to the altering of set habits and ideas.

“To be able to grow, and to live and to function in a better society, you have to take on different thought values, different ideas,” Hammond said.

@AynsleyLarsenDT

want to get into dorms,” President of TTU Lawrence Schovanec said “We’ve noticed that upperclassmen seem to have a growing interest in being on campus. We have looked at issues like grade point average, graduation rate giving and living on campus has a positive effect in all of those different areas”

HOPE ESPOSITO/The Daily Toreador

CARLOS GONZALEZ/The Daily Toreador

Tech roommates take a break from studying to play board games in the Stangle dorm basement Feb. 24, 2023

The Board of Regents approved the construction of a new resident hall the land beside the West Village Resident Hall

versation.

Students pursue inexpensive furniture options

By MALACHI MATSUDA Staff Writer

Picture this — you are about to walk into your first college apartment, excited for a new taste of freedom. You open the door to find nothing. This dream of ownership and responsibility has a big fracture. You have no furniture.

Although Texas Tech students dedicate most of their time to studies, they still need a space to sleep, lounge and eat. Furniture is essential, but most retail furniture stores offer prices way outside of the typical Tech student’s budget. However, second hand stores shed some hope of obtaining affordable furniture.

The American Council of the Blind’s employee Isidrio Jr. Rodriguez has some experience selling affordable furniture to Tech students. Rodriguez has been working with the ACB, and said he is devoted to their mission.

“To help out people that are low income — We also

try to help out people that are visually impaired, and all of our proceeds help benefit those that need the resources,” Rodriguez said. Most of the items within the store are donated, Rodriguez said, which benefits students.

“Especially with furniture, school supplies, anything like that. It really helps out,” he said. Some sales are specific to college students

Rodriguez said.

“Pretty much look around, see what you can afford,” Rodriguez said, “and coming down to any thrift store really helps out.”

Irma Linda has been working with The Resale Center, another thrift store with affordable furniture, for two years. Linda said she doesn’t know if Tech students specifically take advantage of affordable furniture, but she believes everyone can benefit from it.

“Everybody needs a little help. Every discount helps,” Linda said. “They’re welcome here.”

Tech students live in a digital age where thrift stores, or second-hand markets are ready at their fingers. Facebook has made its mark as a major social platform, but also features an entire marketplace.

Hailey Roberts, a secondyear general psychology major from Lubbock, sells and buys from Facebook Marketplace. Although Roberts uses the platform regularly – in one instance, to purchase and sell a vehicle, she said Facebook Marketplace is a hit-or-miss situation.

“People say they will buy or sell it, and they really don’t,” Roberts said.

It’s convenient to buy and sell locally Roberts said, but advises Tech students to be safe.

“It is better to be in a public setting, like a Walmart, or somewhere with cameras,”

Roberts said.

Despite Roberts utilization of the digital marketplace, she emphasizes there are many cons and explained items listed as free tend to be scammers or bots.

“Bots show repeated items, while it is a major problem that dealerships or stores use listings as advertisement and marketing,” Roberts said.

Roberts does not advise Tech students to rely on Facebook Marketplace when looking for affordable furniture.

“Look for yard sales. You are more likely to find something and you can negotiate the price of the item,” Roberts said. Although Roberts advises avoiding using Facebook Marketplace, some students find the app useful to browse. Lilly Bass, a junior psychology major from Littlefield, uses Facebook Marketplace to browse.

“I look at local listings, it’s like Craigslist. Buy locally and not at full price,” Bass said. Furthermore Bass said she

uses the app because it is inexpensive and local, and Lubbock is full of college students who are frequently moving.

Despite pointing out the many pros of the app, Bass has not bought anything from Facebook Marketplace.

“It is harder to impulse buy, versus Amazon. It is a click away and comes in two days,” Bass said.

However, Bass also admits the app has some inconsistencies, like the distance listed locally.

“The main problem is it’ll say it is two hours away and still be local. Part of Lubbock culture is driving an hour to do anything,” Bass said.

Bass suggests looking at other second-hand markets as well.

“I would recommend Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Goodwill, especially its Pound Store. You find furniture there for dirt cheap,” Bass said.

Commuter dining plan caters to off-campus students

By ANDREW FALLON Staff Writer

Texas Tech continues to offer its commuter dining plan option into the next school year for students who live off campus. With almost 20 on-campus dining locations, students can access each

one of them regardless of their living situation.

Alan Cushman, associate director of Business Development & Hospitality Services at Tech, said Dining Bucks can continue to be valid from term to term.

“As long as they are enrolled at Texas Tech, those Dining Bucks

roll from semester to semester so it’s not like they have to use it in a certain timeframe,” Cushman said. “As long as they’re taking classes, their dining plan continues to be active if there’s a balance in there.”

According to the Hospitality Services website, students can put in as little as $50 and as much as $300 into their commuter dining plan while receiving a 15 percent discount on a wide variety of food options across campus. The dining plan at Tech provides off-campus students the opportunity to enjoy food from chain restaurants such as Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut without having to make the commitment of staying in a dorm.

Mateo Casas, a junior public relations major from San Antonio, said the commuter dining plan has helped him out since moving away from campus.

“It has been beneficial due to the fact that I can pick up food on my way home and not have to worry about going home to eat either,” Casas said. While the plan is primarily used by students living oncampus for the first time, it is not limited to that age group. Cushman said students across different classifications gravitate towards the dining plan.

“We see a lot of students that will put whatever they choose to in it, and then just kind of use it sporadically whenever they need it,” Cushman said. “So that’s why we see the popularity of the plan range from second year students all the way up to when they’re getting ready to graduate.”

Finding a way to pay for food could be challenging as a student, as most do not have a steady source of income. Casas said the commuter dining plan helps him

financially.

“I see it as a money saver honestly,” Casas said. “Plus, you aren’t really spending food in your personal credit (or) debit card and it takes away the stress of that.”

In addition, students also have the option to put their Dining Bucks on the commuter plan into their tuition bill, according to the Hospitality Services website. They are able to purchase the plan one of two ways, either online or in Room 238C of the Student Union Building.

However, despite the conveniences, an off-campus dining plan can bring to students, there can be some limitations present to it. Casas said a downside of the commuter plan is that it isn’t always tailored to students who live in a house or an apartment.

“The negatives are that you don’t get a big discount like you would if you lived on campus, but you still have all access to every single food on campus,” Casas said.

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Students are provided multiple dining plans to accommodate for meals on campus. Dining locations are located throughout campus to offer students a variety of food options.

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Milly Latino/The Daily Toreador

Students utilize common areas provided by student dining options. Often to have a meal or lounge, these designated areas supply seating areas for patrons.

Used furniture is displayed at resale stores.These outlets allow students to bargain shop for low-cost furniture and décor.

Red flags, what to look out for in apartments

By AYNSLEY LARSEN Staff Writer

The novelty of personal bathrooms, home-cooked meals and the escape from dorm life provide an aspect of excitement to college students looking to rent for the first time. Don’t let the model units and promotional videos fool you. A lot of apartment complexes are trying to rush you into a hasty, long-term commitment and are hiding red flags that students should be aware of.

Apartment complexes are businesses. They want your money and your contractual agreement and will say just about anything to get you to sign your name on that dotted line. Stacy Riker and Meghan Rogers, landlord and tenant attorneys in Lubbock, offered their advice on what to look for in a potential home, as well as the mistakes new leasers often make and the red flags, they should be aware of.

Riker, an attorney at Payne, Powell, Truitt & Chandler, emphasized communication with landlords and property owners, as well as understanding who to contact in the event of an emergency. She said it is essential to know who is in charge of maintenance and safety and the importance of good customer service.

“You want a place that’s safe, and you want a place with good and responsive management; you know exactly who to call for any issues you may have, and you can count on them to respond and take care of the actual issues,” Riker said.

When communicating with landlords and management, Riker said, everything should be documented. In the event of a problem or

disagreement, having communications documented is essential to receiving help from attorneys or outside sources.

Rogers, an attorney at Texas Tech’s Student Legal Services, labeled the high pressure and rushed environment of leasing season as a red flag. She said complexes tend to offer deals and promotions to encourage students to sign faster and push signing a lease as soon as possible.

“My biggest tip … is for students to be cautious about high pressure situations … . If an apartment complex or a landlord is pressuring you to sign a 30- to 60-page document — right there with no chance to read it — very big red flag,” Rogers said.

Both Riker and Rogers listed common mistakes made by students with little to no leasing experience. These included not looking around the complex or reading reviews, not asking enough questions and, perhaps most detrimentally, not reading the lease.

Highlighting the importance of visiting a complex and reading the reviews left by residents, Riker noted the tendency of complexes to lie and hide their shortcomings.

“I think if you dig down and you start reading reviews about places … or [talk] to other people on campus, you might see that a lot of the college living complexes have major issues, and they’re poorly managed,” Riker said.

Asking questions while on a tour is imperative, Riker said. Students should ask about the history of units, especially with regard to the freeze in December and the issues it caused.

“I would ask if there’s ever

been any mold in the unit … just a fun question to ask because they’re not gonna want to answer it, but I think it’s time to hold people accountable for that,” Riker said.

This goes hand in hand with knowing who is in charge of maintenance and repairs. Riker described an experience a current client had in which Riker ended up having to contact upper management because none of the general owners would address the presence of mold in the unit.

Rogers said although having as much information as possible before making a living decision is the best idea, nothing said in a tour can be guaranteed without being written out in the lease.

“I’m saying ask a lot of questions, but also understand that if they tell you something but it’s not in writing in the lease, it’s not enforceable,” Rogers said.

Students need to read and

understand the lease they are signing. Rogers said students have become desensitized to signing documents, especially with complexes moving their leases online.

“Reading it would be a game changer if we could get more students to read their

leases before they sign them,” Rogers said. Most students, Rogers said, assume their leases will be fair and in their favor; however, leases are written by landlords and for landlords, and often their benefits reflect as much.

“[Students] feel like there’s this assurance that the lease is going to be fair, but the lease was written by the landlord so it does have wording that is to the landlord’s advantage,” Rogers said.

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Sydni Oviedo/The Daily Toreador

Students share suggestions for enhanced home security

By NATHAN KENISON Staff Writer

Lubbock’s most recent crime statistics indicate a steady uptick in crime of almost every kind.

The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report reported 2831 violent crimes and 10,055

The type of security precautions required depends largely on each apartment complex. Some apartment complexes come equipped with safeguards included in the bill, such as gates, security cameras and built-in alarm systems, while some rely on residents to equip their apartment with the appropriate safety features.

Adam Gideon, a senior computer science major from Rockwell, lives in an ungated complex, which offers sparse security options.

“There isn’t much security (in the apartments) aside from inside the houses themselves,” Gideon said.

To combat this issue, Gideon

and his roommates make use of a home security system when they are away from their apartment. In addition, Gideon takes special care to ensure the doors are locked during the day and deadbolted at night.

“We typically only use (the security system) for like, breaks, when all of us are out of the house for an extended period of time,”

Gideon said. “I tend to always check the door every time I walk away just to make sure that I locked it. It only takes five seconds to see if it’s deadbolted or locked.

Lubbock isn’t the safest city in the world, so it’s always good to check your bases, you know.”

Gideon said students must carefully weigh the choice between gated and ungated apartment complexes.

“You have your gated apartment buildings, where something could still happen but it’s very unlikely, and then you have your ungated communities, which are probably the cheapest places to live for college students but, of course, have the most risk,” Gideon said.

While gated communities tend to reduce crimes such as burglaries and vehicle break-ins, they are not always foolproof.

Cole Hawkins, a third-year chemistry major from Dallas, lives in a gated apartment community, but said more often than

pet ownership

not, the gate is left unlocked and open.

“Often our keycards don’t work on the front gate so residents just prop it open with a rock to get to their apartments,” Hawkins said.

When gates and locks are not effective, another safety feature to prioritize is a security camera system.

Although a camera system may seem excessive and expensive to the average student, there are affordable options. Home security companies such as Wyze, Ring, Nest and Arlo offer a range of products at varying price levels. A cost-friendly yet effective option is a simple onecamera set-up, as studies have shown that the mere presence of a security camera can result in a 50 percent reduction of crime.

Whether it be security cameras, alarm systems or extra locks, it is always advisable that students allot some amount of their budget to invest in common-sense apartment security. Gideon echoed this sentiment. Students must be flexible to find options that fit their specific circumstances and price range.

“Every college student has their unique situations,” Gideon said. “I think it’s definitely best to go with what you’re comfortable with and what you’re capable of living and working without.”

By MADISON COTTEY Staff Writer

There are many decisions that require forethought and planning to allow a beneficial opportunity for both parties and one of those circumstances is pet ownership.

Some college students think they are responsible and mature enough to care for an animal, but what isn’t always considered is how unique our routine is, how long we are on campus or at work, and the cost of caretaking.

I have had part ownership of a dog in my college years and it is one of the most difficult projects to start. The dog must be trained, let outside for exercise and to use the bathroom, taught not to bark, fed regularly and needs a consistent environment to sleep … and these are just the minimum efforts. The tasks seem so simple in hindsight, but they challenge one’s abilities when on a budget and a constant time crunch.

Not every animal owned by a college student is going to be a dog. Some are cats, which can be much easier to tend to, but any animal has repercussions. Cats require maintenance as well.

Cats need their litter changed daily — though no one usually abides. They need food, playtime, toys and a space to sleep and roam just as much as dogs.

Since pets require stability, it can be difficult to follow those strict guidelines when there is seemingly no time or, in recent weeks, the weather is atrocious in Lubbock.

“College living is unique because it’s one of the few times in your life where it is socially acceptable to sleep in public places, eat desserts out of a mug, and go out on a Tuesday,” stated in an article by We Are IU, a college information website.

This is incredibly accu -

rate because our schedules are constantly fluctuating; there are times where I go to sleep at 7 p.m. and others where activities go until 4 a.m. and get no sleep.

However, just as there are cons to pet ownership in college, there are benefits as well. Promotion of exercise, responsible habits, increase in social interaction, evoked calm and unconditional bonds, as an article by JustAgric, a agricultural resource website, states.

There is another side of the coin that almost always wins because the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives so intensely that it is undoubtedly worth it. The benefits of owning pets are great because the animal helps with mental disorders through companionship that extends to a lifelong bond.

While there are these weighted benefits, owning a pet in college, mainly a dog, is not the best idea because of routine, costs and time.

Dogs, particularly those that are large, require upwards of three hours of playtime outside and need new crates as they grow. Most college students will leave their dog or puppy in a crate for a whole day or an entire night because of their busy schedules.

College students who live in apartments, especially, should not own a dog without the luxury of a large, open backyard. An apartment is cramped, typically full of roommates and has incredibly thin walls/floors. Dogs can hear when someone is home who is not letting them out, which might cause barking.

Owning a pet in college is a huge responsibility and not something you can give up on or rid from your life; there are great benefits, but with those benefits comes great responsibility.

HOPE ESPOSITO/The Daily Toreador as doorbells.

MADELYNN YORKE /The Daily Toreador Jan. 24, 2023.