Finding housing can be a stressful part of college and is one of, if not the most, important decisions you’ll make when starting your college journey. Whether you’d like to live on or off campus, here are some tips on where to start your search.
On campus
The University of Idaho provides a wide range of on-campus housing options for all students and is a great resource to take advantage of. Each residence hall comes equipped with free laundry, internet, maintenance assistance and many other amenities to help meet your housing needs.
Full-time freshmen under the age of 21 are generally required to live on campus, though exemptions are available. Students in this category may choose from the Wallace Residence Center, Theophilus Tower, or a Living Learning Community.
The Wallace Residence Center is the largest residence hall, housing over 800 students. Wallace features lounges, community spaces, and study areas. It consists of four wings: Ballard, Wiley, Stevenson, and Gooding. It is also home to the campus dining hall, better known as the Eatery.
Theophilus Tower is an 11-story building housing over 350 residents. If you’re coming straight from high school and want a place that actually helps you settle into college life, the Tower is built with that in mind.
There are plenty of ways to meet people and find your footing, both socially and academically. The Tower features a TV room on every floor, a laundry room, a game room, a computer lab, and private study rooms. All resident rooms include a mini-fridge and microwave.
Another option for students who want more independence while still remaining on campus is the LLCs. The LLCs do a good job of blending academics and social life, making them a solid choice if you want your living situation to be more than just a place to sleep.
Comprised of eight buildings and housing over 600 students, each Living Learning Community residence hall is home to approximately 75 students and features private study rooms, lounge spaces, community kitchens and game rooms.
While transfer students and upperclassmen can continue to live in the above housing options, they also have another: McConnell Hall.
McConnell is a great fit for students who value their own space and want a calmer, study-friendly atmosphere. Each student gets their own single room, making it one of the more private on-campus living options available.
McConnell also features single-gender floors and a large hangout space in the basement. Each bedroom includes a sink, twin XL bed, closet, desk, bookshelves, chair and an additional set of three large drawers.
Choosing housing can feel overwhelming, but UI’s many on-campus options can help take some of the stress out of the process. With so many students living nearby, it’s a great opportunity to make friends, create memories and experience life on your own, all with the support of a campus community just steps away.
When applying for housing, know that there are options to suit a variety of needs and preferences. Every building, floor and room has its pros and cons, but each one also holds the potential for some of your best college memories.
You can find out more about the housing process at https://www.uidaho.edu/student-life/housing-dining/residence-halls.
Off campus
Choosing to live off campus and rent an apartment is a big step in one’s life. It can be a scary step to take, especially if you don’t know where to start or how to go about finding a place to live off campus.
There’s no housing portal that tells you exactly how to do it, and there’s not really a guide either.
If you want to pursue living off campus, here’s a guide on how to effectively find the perfect place for you.
One of the most important things to do when looking for an off-campus apartment is to tour any of the places you’re interested in.
You’ll never quite get a realistic feel of the place from just the photos alone. Don’t hesitate to reach out and request a tour.
Taking a tour doesn’t mean that you have to settle on that place — it doesn’t even mean that you have to apply — but it’s a good way to see if you truly like the apartment.
Something important to know is that the rental companies want you to rent from them, and they want to help. Go visit them in person and ask about their catalogs and availability.
Nothing is better than face-to-face interactions. They may even be able to tell you about places that aren’t on the market yet but will be soon, and you can be the first person to check it out.
Alternatively, you can look online for available rentals.
Rental websites — Zillow, Apartments.com, Rent.com and others — are also great places to look for apartments that are currently on the market.
Oftentimes, these platforms allow you to schedule a tour from their website or at least get in touch with a representative from whichever rental company oversees the apartment that you’re interested in.
Another option is to do a lease takeover with a current tenant who is moving.
A lease takeover is when a current tenant transfers their lease to a new tenant, often to avoid breaking a lease if they need to move out before their lease is up.
Facebook Marketplace is a good option to find people wanting to do a lease takeover. There are also posts from rental companies on there, so you can browse available units that way, too.
Facebook has forums and groups dedicated to things like housing, roommates, lease takeovers and more.
Apartment hunting can be scary, but if you get a head start early on, you’ll likely find a place that suits your needs.
Don’t be afraid to be persistent. Show up in person to rental companies and ask what they have; you can even do this more than once if a few weeks have passed between visits.
Sometimes, you can be put onto an email list of available units. Ask the representative if they have anything like this and also sign up for emails from rental websites.
With some exploring, apartment tours and dedication, you’ll eventually find an apartment that you can call home.
Jayden Barfuss and Brooklynn Jolley can be reached at [email protected].