University of Iowa - Hawkeye Yearbook (Iowa City, IA)

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In search: The crunch continues These people have the answers. This year, these people and 8,500 like them, were forced tofind the answers to a sometimes overwhelming question: Where am I going to live? With enrollment leaping to a record 26,000 plus, more students than ever want- ed to live in the relatively low-cost dorms - more students than there were rooms lfor. In March, 1981, the Housing Assign- ment Office announced that only fresh- men and sophomores could be guaranteed dorm rooms. For the first time, every up- perclassman - not just the ones wanting out of the dorms - had to find off-campus housing. How did they do it? Basically, they had to search all over Iowa City, checking every available nook, cranny - or attic, like juniors Mark Christopher and Mark Jacobson. Two dark, narrow stairways lead up to the spacious attic room which both Marks have christened The Fortfl With few suitable apartments available, they were extremely happy to find this place - even though it meant living at the top of an old house and sharing a bathroom with the other tenants. Most rooms rented out are either cock- roach-infested, very tiny, or way over- pricedfl Christopher said. 'fThis was great. One of the drawbacks is some of the graduate students living in the building. 'SThey,re very stiff about a lot of things, especially about being super quietf' Ja- cobson said. We like playing our music and having people over. Otherwise, though, they enjoy their attic hide-away. Their rent is lower than dorm rates, they share a communal kitchen and living room with the other tenants, and we even have a porch with a swing and a place to put our bikesf' At times, no matter how hard students looked, there was just no place to be found. For those who didn't start hunting until the semesteris start, this was especial- ly true. Few, though, had to resort to what senior Mike Shier did until he found an apartment: for ten days he camped-out in his van. For Anne Valdespino, apartment living means being able to cook some specialties. Waiting for a Mexican meal, she grabs a book for quick studying. Fortunately, Shier is a seasoned camper, so he could handle roughing it. I either just ate out or went to City Park and bar- becued something, he explained. I also ended up going to bed really early and getting up early. I couldnlt study much after dark, and the birds were my alarm clock every morning at six. Admittedly, Shier's living arrangement wasnit exactly secure. 'fI said I wouldnit worry till it got cold, he said, but I guess I was ready to have a permanent roof over my headfl After all, he said, all I really had was my suitcase and my bicycle? So what did he appreciate most when he finally moved into his apartment? f'Having a showerlw Late-arriving transfer students also found out just how scarce housing was. In some cases, plans got drastically changed. When junior Leslie Baldwin transferred from Bradley University this year, she in- tended to join a sorority, as she had at her former school. But I wanted to take my own time,', she said, get an apartment and do it Qjoinj in a normal fashion. Unfortunately, Baldwin didnit arrive to look for that apartment until the end of August. HI was an ulcer casels' she said. ffl was so confused I didnlt know what to dof' Finally, Baldwin phoned Gamma Phi Beta -in the middle of a rush party -to see if they had any room openings. continued on page 22

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I at f i , 1 g S. ff W K Ev l l Q l f. l s 5 fr g g i ,fg- XA? Shaw Apartment dwellers find that one advantage is room for parties. Maureen Guthrie invites guests to an upcoming bash at the Broadway Apartments Finding time alone is a Challenge when three women live in a double occupancy apartment. Susan Cotten takes advantage ofthe solitude for some booking, Janet Lammers likes being an RA., not only for the great room prices, but also for the company of the women on her hall. -um,