I cannot believe it.
I am sitting here, on April 25, five days away from the last day of classes and I still don't know where I am living next year. As a rising sophomore who is GUARANTEED housing for next year, I wouldn't be nearly as concerned as I am if it weren't for the ridiculous thing called ResLife.
First of all, I presume that as a university that has students every year, students that need to be housed (you know, live somewhere?), that ResLife would try to fix the issues and difficulties they have come across in years past. Maybe this is too revolutionary for such an institution. In fact, all of the interactions I have had with ResLife have reflected their general disorganization and lack of forward thinking.
Before the first housing lottery (a full two months ago) and after attending the housing information session, I had several questions about the laborious and complicated process that is the housing lottery. I emailed them a litany of questions and concerns I had. I spelled out every possible question regarding the process and received a two-sentence e-mail answering only one of them. I was frustrated to say the least, but not completely discouraged - yet.
After committing the egregious sin of being assigned a mediocre lottery number and choosing a roommate with an even worse number, I learned I was on the waitlist. From this point forward, I found myself in a labyrinth of misinformation. As I was told that I would not likely be able to stay with my roommate, I was furious. I have not done anything wrong. I chose a roommate I am happy with. Because we were both randomly assigned bad numbers, we won't be able to live together? And we have no other choice but to live on campus because as we are "GUARANTEED" housing, we also have no other option other than to take whatever ResLife can give us, including splitting us up.
I resigned myself to the waitlist, sitting around and waiting for someone to figure himself out long enough to give me a room. While all of my friends are comparing their dorms for next year, I tell them I am living in a nook. You know that little alcove in Dewick? My backup plan (since we are forced to live on campus sophomore year and I have no proof that this room of mine is going to come from ResLife) is to pitch a tent in the nook, using the incoming 10 a.m. tours as an alarm clock.
Hell, it's not like I'd be the only one in the dining hall in my pajamas.
I did still have a glimmer of hope and we were told that we would get "more information" by April 1. Then April 3 rolls around and there is still no e-mail, no voicemail, no carrier pigeon. At this point I realized that I might need to get a little forceful. I sent ResLife an e-mail questioning the whereabouts of this so-called "information" only to find out I was left off their mailing list! This e-mail was simply a reassurance that they were still figuring things out and we would be able to choose housing on April 24, nearly 2 months from the first housing lottery.
I waited and counted down the days until I would be able to say confidently that I am living somewhere next year. And I waited. And I waited. Suddenly April 24 was upon us and I planned to run joyfully from the building and yell, "I may not know what I am going to major in, but I do know where I'm living!" Instead I get a call from my roommate asking if I got the e-mail from ResLife. "What e-mail?" I asked myself. Apparently, left off the mailing list - again - I missed the e-mail saying that only the highest tier of numbers on the waitlist would be able to choose on Tuesday.
Thanks ResLife, I wasn't looking forward to hammering out the details of my future today or anything...
Instead we were expected to show up on Thursday to choose. This wouldn't be problematic except for both my roommate and I are working on the drama department show, Company, and will be at the performance all night on Thursday. Now, ResLife is not answering any of my e-mails and I am stuck in limbo once again.
There is a very simple solution to most of the issues that ResLife has. First, they should check and respond to their e-mails. They should also answer students' questions. But most importantly, sophomores who have guaranteed housing should choose first. I know that juniors have seniority but having a waitlist every year is just ridiculous. Juniors are not guaranteed housing and once ResLife has assigned the juniors rooms, they can't take them away. ResLife needs to make positive changes based on the problems they encounter each year instead of just brushing these problems off and causing more stress and confusion for the next class. They've been doing their jobs long enough for the learning curve to have taken effect.
Get it together, ResLife!
Megan Sullivan is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.
