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With thousands of students living on campus each year and a two-year residency requirement, hearing the experiences of our classmates living on campus is crucial to understanding our University’s standards for life and comfort. On the web page explaining the University of Toledo’s residency requirement, they list multiple statistically proven benefits to living on campus, including higher retention. At the bottom of the page is a link to more information about requesting an exemption from residency. According to the Office of the Treasurer’s website, the price for this year’s freshmen to live on campus for two semesters ranges from $13,562 to $15,466. This is about 79% of the out-of-state tuition rate for this freshman class, and about 144% of in-state tuition. For all this money, what are students saying about their experience living on campus? I conducted two virtual interviews before creating an online survey to collect a wider array of responses. I sent my survey to over 200 students through my connections to student organizations. In total, I collected 11 responses from six dorms. Laundry is among the most common concerns of the residents I spoke with. Residents of I-House, Parks Tower, and Ottawa House alike reported stinking, smoking, or leaking washers. Multiple residents said they had to put their clothes through the dryer several times before their items were sufficiently dry. Kylee Hill, a resident of I-House who had mostly pleasant things to say about living on campus, described how other residents are often the root of laundry troubles. She reported some people closing wet washers immediately after removing their laundry, allowing odor-causing microorganisms to grow in between uses. Others frequently leave behind their lint for residents like Kylee to clean. She made a point to note that concerns caused by the residents can also only be solved by the residents, stating that maintenance workers are “not our parents.” The only complaint more common than laundry troubles was temperature regulation. Most residents complained of overheated rooms, reporting 80° heat and fixed windows, but an anonymous McComas Village resident said their room is “freezing” in the colder months of the year. All students who attend in-person classes are familiar with remarkably warm classrooms as the weather changes in the fall, but while non-residents leave campus and its unyielding heating and cooling system when class ends, residents are left to sleep in rooms that are reported to reach as high as 87°. Broken laundry machines, out-of-order elevators, and noisy neighbors are fairly standard issues, but some interviewees also reported outstanding safety concerns. An anonymous Parks Tower resident reported a bat living in their ceiling for four days before it was removed by maintenance. After their roommate left the door unlocked to use the bathroom late at night, a stranger reportedly entered this resident’s room and tried to engage in casual conversation. An anonymous former resident of Honors Academic Village reports being stalked to their dorm. When the resident called the front desk to urge the removal of the alleged non-resident stalker, they were reportedly told to stop calling. Within Presidents Hall, which is currently closed for renovations, there is a Gender-Inclusive Community that focuses on the safety and comfort of those traditionally outcast based on their gender, sex, or sexual orientation. Last year, the pride flags on display there were ripped down and replaced multiple times, and the Office of Residence Life is reported by multiple sources to have promised the community protective glass cases for their flags to avoid further incident. Now, the Gender-Inclusive Community is housed with the Arts Living Learning Community in Ottawa East, and the community still has not received glass cases. Seraph, a resident of the Gender-Inclusive Community for the last two years, felt unsafe on campus and applied for a residency exemption, but their application was reportedly denied. An anonymous resident of Ottawa reported that flyers posted by minority-centered organizations are still torn down frequently. While these issues are serious and should not be ignored, living on campus isn’t all bad. Nine of the residents I interviewed said that their favorite thing about living on campus is improved social opportunity or proximity to campus. Residents from Tucker Hall and Ottawa House commented on how recurring events hosted by the residence halls have allowed for them to easily make and maintain friends. An anonymous Ottawa West resident said, “It is a unique opportunity for a certain type of friendship.” About half of my interviewees reported that staff and RAs in their dorms were helpful, or that issues were fixed in a timely manner. At least one resident from I-House, Parks Tower, Ottawa House, Tucker Hall, and McComas Village said that their laundry machines have been fixed, replaced, or upgraded this year, and the McComas Village resident even reported that there was “no need” for the replacement. Many of these issues with living on campus are caused by other residents, such as leftover lint, closed washer doors, and rowdy freshmen in Parks, and are therefore not entirely resolvable by staff and management. On the other hand, many of these issues with living on campus are only resolvable by staff and management. Over the course of a week, I emailed the Office of Residence Life twice and, when met with no response, visited their office in person. They declined to comment on the living conditions my interviewees described. My emails were forwarded to their marketing department, and I hope to receive a response in the coming weeks. References The University of Toledo. (n.d.) Residency Requirement. Retrieved from https://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/reslife/index/residencyrequirement.html. Accessed Nov 18, 2022. The University of Toledo. (n.d.) 2022-23 Housing and Meal Plans. Retrieved from https://www.utoledo.edu/offices/treasurer/housingandmealplans/. Accessed Nov 18, 2022. The University of Toledo. (n.d.) 2022-23 UNDERGRADUATE TUITION. Retrieved from https://www.utoledo.edu/offices/treasurer/tuition/undergraduate/. Accessed Nov 18, 2022.

Here is my experience of being away from home so far. I hope it helps you somehow. I think I came into this country expecting a fresh start, yet I didn't expect myself to be caught off-guard when I actually got it. I didn't know that starting up a new life in a place where you have hardly any traces whatsoever would be so hard, and I guess that's where my ache to continue my life started. Most people begin a new chapter of their lives thinking that the previous ones cease to exist. Here's the reality: your old life will not vanish whatsoever. It still exists. It will be harder to remember details, but you'll find yourself staring at the walls in class retracing the roads you used to walk before. And where my ache aches the most is knowing the fact that it'll never be the same. There's the fact that I've grown so much. I've grown so much that my previous version seems more like a stranger than myself to me. I've laughed more than I have ever laughed in my life. I've cried more than I've ever in my life. That being said, the part I love the most about this journey is realizing it is continuous. Just because I've settled doesn't mean my journey stops here. This is just the beginning. That's a hopeful thought to have to beat the Sunday blues. No matter where I go in the world, I'll carry the burden or gift of my previous selves with me. I cannot let them go, even if I wanted to, because they're what makes me me. I cannot forget who I am, who I was- and it will always have a say in who I will be. Love, Ruchita.

Dear Collegian, I am a junior at the University of Toledo. I recently have become very involved on campus. I’m meeting many new people of all different majors and interests and… I’ve never been more insecure in my life. In all aspects of the word, I am insecure. I feel so idiotic and airheaded near these people. I feel myself seeing them less as my peers and more as my competition. The infuriating part about that is when compared to them, I lose every single time. I have this overwhelming urge to look and be better than them, but I'm not. How do I deal with this? — Hello, It is wonderful that you’ve become integrated within the UToledo campus, as it is a fantastic way to meet people and help develop various skill sets. Yet, there are challenges that come with these new realms of college life, as well. Insecurity is a reasonable emotion when you’re exploring new organizations, especially when there are so many bright and confident students here on campus. However, it is crucial to understand that although someone else demonstrates a certain trait, this does not diminish what you have to offer. You have already taken the initiative to join these organizations, so congratulate yourself first and foremost. You’ve demonstrated assertiveness and drive. Take a moment to acknowledge all the positive traits you possess. You have just as many qualities to offer here on campus as the student next to you—traits that make you unique and a valuable asset to this university. When we pick apart the word insecure, we can conclude that it is something felt in regard to yourself, rather than how others perceive you. It is a fault in the way you view who you are. In short, you are not giving yourself enough compassion and kindness, and are instead focusing on how you are in comparison to others. The students around you are not your competition. I like to think of each student as being on a joint team, rather than opponents. We all want to help you grow and support you along the way at UToledo. There is no reason that both you and your classmates cannot all succeed! So root for each other and lend a helping hand along the way. Rejoice in all that you are, as I assure you that you have the capacity to achieve all your goals! Keep in mind how critical it is to practice self-compassion, and remember that we are all trying to do our best—and someone else’s victory should be a victory in your mind, too. You are just as special, loved, and needed as those you’re comparing yourself to. Emily