University of Rhode Island - Renaissance / Grist Yearbook (Kingston, RI)

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◄ ◄An advantage of being off-campus is cooking on your own, but a disadvantage is the weekly grocery shopping. Don Tower and John Costantini decide on buying a loaf of generic bread in order to save money. ◄Laundry usually piles up as the trip to Burke ' s is always dreaded, but eventually when you run out of clothes it ' s a necessary trip. ◄▼ Munchin out while studying is a familar sight at this kitchen table. ▼Most students have at least one party during the year. A pot-luck supper is most convenient when it ' s a large crowd. parents have done since you were born. After going to classes and then working part-time, you come home exhausted — but it’s your night to cook dinner. Now you experience what your mom has done for the past ten years. One of the hassles of living off- campus is doing your dirty laundry. Living in a dorm or Greek house of- fers the convenience of doing the laundry right on the premises. Now you have to drive to a laundra mat. In the dorm you do your laundry to avoid studying, while down-the-liners study to avoid doing laundry. To counter the threats of the phone company or the high oil bills, down-the-line living offers a place to experience the real world even before graduating. Being able to prepare a full-course meal for a group of friends, or having a suc- cessful Sunday brunch is something that will always be remembered. Then when the last month’s rent is paid you know the semester is about to be over. For some the beach in- terferes with studying for finals. Everyone takes books to the beach and swears to read at least a chapter, leaving it only reading four pages. You don’t know what living down-the-line is all about until you experience it first-hand. ' GUS-g, T. J. Paglione Down-the-Line 29

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A Lifestyle Unique to GR1 Down-the-Liners Survive on Their Own Cinderblock walls are a thing of the past now. You ' ve made the choice to live — Down-the-Line. No more dining hall food, or bathrooms shared by a dozen. You have a kit- chen to cook whatever you’re in the mood for, and a shower with hot water past 8 o’clock am. Being a down-the-liner isn’t even comparable to campus life as new responsibilities emerge when the bills arrive in the beginning of Oc- tober. What happened in September? That month really flew by fast. September was the month of getting use to the new lifestyle. Taking a swim before classes wasn’t unusual as you try to stretch out the summer. Even though you’re back at school, you’re not on campus 24 hours a day so other activities take priority now. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights — you can always find a down-the-line party. Some have parties to show off the new liv- ing arrangements while others ap- preciate the freedom of not having any restrictions put on them. Sitting around the kitchen table eating fresh fish from the docks, the first set of bills is discussed. Why is the electric bill so high? You learn that when you’re paying for the elec- tricity, you can’t leave lights on all night. A garbage pick up bill? Whoever heard of paying the gar- bage men to pick up your garbage. At least we haven’t had to turn the heat on yet. When you decide to move off campus, many students don ' t realize the added responsibility you have on your shoulders besides your schoolwork. Being short-sighted, all that you see is the freedom. No more R.A.’s writing you up for blasting your stereo. No more house mothers waking up as you come in late after a wild social. But after a few months, reality strikes you as the phone company threatens to disconnect your phone or the oil company won ' t deliver oil unless it’s cash-on-delivery. This is when you begin to ask yourself — is it all worth it? A majority of down-the-liners would answer yes. It’s a challenge to make it on your own. You’re forced It’s a challenge to make it on your own. to budget your money. You may have to give up buying food for a week in order to pay a bill, but it definitely teaches you not to spend your money foolishly. Down-the-line living makes you grow up on your own. You actually begin to appreciate all that your 28 Down-the-Line

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30 Life of a Dog