University of Wyoming - WYO Yearbook (Laramie, WY)

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HOME-COOKED MEALS are an advantage for students who live off-campus. Photo by Dan Le- var SUMMER BAR-B-QUE ' S are hard to resist when the sun is shining and a good cook is tending the fire. Photo bvDan Levar Housing Options 23

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WATCHING THE BOOB TUBE is a favorite ac- tivitv when relaxation is the objective. Photo by- Dan Levar Environments enhance individual preferences Housing options offer variety PETS ARE WELCOME additions to any envir- onment especially when they help people feel at home Photo by Dan Levar UVV students had a variety of options open to them concerning where and how to live. Among these, of course- were dormatories. fraternities and sororities. University apartments and married student housing. Options not associated with the University included apartments. houses and parents ' homes. Different housing options offered different features: each one was a separate alternative to be considered by students. Dorms offered a chance to meet a lot of new people and an en- vironment that was supposed to pro- mote and enhance good study habits. They offered the convenience of hot meals in Washakie Cafeteria and a place to live that was perhaps safer from crime than other options. Fraternities and sororities were similar to dorms in some ways but quite differ- ent in others. Unlike dorms, they offered a more relaxed atmosphere and a chance to live with people sharing similar interests. Student apartments and married stu- dent housing offered co-eds a chance to live completely on their own and get a taste of the real world. Off -campus liv- ing also offered independence, as well as privacy, with the exception of living with parents. To find out which of these housing op- tions was the most comfortable, practi- cal and conducive to good study habits, the WTO Yearbook went straight to the students. Four different group of co- eds, ranging from students living in the dorms to those living off -campus, were asked questions about their living ar- rangements. Al though all responses varied, each group seemed to agree upon several things. The first group questioned, the dorm dwellers, all agreed that the dorms were not conducive to good study habits, even on the 24-hour quiet floors. This seemed surprising, since the dorms were designed to promote an educational en- vironment. The reason for it. however, was quite simple. The rules and regula- tions designed to limit rowdy behavior, especially those on 24-hour quiet floors, were all but ignored. Threats taped up in the lobbies of the dorms were«the nearest thing to rule enforcement. The dorms are comfortable enough, but I have to go to the library to get any homework done. David Klingler. a Downey Hall resident said. Between continued 22 Housing Options

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..housing options STUDYING IN THE DORMS isn ' t always feasi- ble due to close living quarters and noise levels. Photo by Dan Levar my roommate, the noise in the halls, and all the girls running and giggling down the halls to their boyfriends ' rooms, getting any work done on this floor would be impossible. Most dorm residents sun-eyed seemed to agree that something needed to be done about the bathrooms on each floor. Students complained that the bathrooms weren ' t private enough, too small and weren ' t kept as clean as they could be. Another common complaint was that the showers were small and im- practical. The small number of study rooms also aggrevated some students. The existing rooms were in need of repairs, and the windows needed better insulation. Students living in fraternities and sororities didn ' t complain about their residences. Most of them agreed that the Greek houses were the best and most comfortable environments for studying they had lived under. In fact, the members questioned complained about evervthing but their own homes. Most of the students living in off- campus apartments were happy with their situation. They said that apart- ment life was good for doing homework, and also very comfortable, even for more than two people. Most of these students had previously lived in dorms or other on-campus housing. Students who lived with their parents during the school year confessed that it wasn ' t the best educational environ- ment. Between schoolwork and fights with siblings and parents, they seemed to agree that they would even consider living in the dorms a big improvement. For most of the people in this group, it was a matter of financial practicality to live at home. The students living in University apartments and or married student housing thought they were getting their money ' s worth. Some complaints in- cluded the apartments ' small size, poor insulation and inadequate maintenance. Many apartments were in desperate need of a simple coat of paint. From a financial point of view, however, there were few complaints. The students ' overall attitude seemed to be that although the current student housing options at UW were livable. they definitely could be improved. The way to bring about changes was through the students ' voices. Through ASUW or through letters, the students could make their opinions known to the Resident Halls Office, their hall director or other administrative officals. Such ac- tion helped promised but forgotten fur- nishings materialize in Crane and Hill Halls this year. Immediate results were not always possible, but the voices of the students couldn ' t and wouldn ' t be ignored if they were loud enough. After all. these were our homes that we were talking about. Brent George 4 Housing Options