the 2015 housing guide
DESCRIPTION
Our annual Housing Guide helps you find that perfect place!TRANSCRIPT
THE 2015 HOUSING GUIDEHELPING YOU FIND THAT PERFECT PLACE
VACANCY LIST INSIDE!!
Flexible leases on two-bedroom furnished and unfurnished apartments Includes utilities, local phone and extended basic cable Free laundry Fitness roomCommunity room High speed internet Free wireless in courtyards and the
community room Current rates start at $342 per month*
APARTMENT LIVING?
WARREN HOUSE KIEL HOUSE MARTIN HOUSE
UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS and UNC HOUSES
FLORIO HOUSE
* Rates are subject to change
4 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:
It’s that time of year again! The time of year when you’re competing for
that perfect college house you found near campus, or the time of year when
you’re contemplating if you want to live by yourself or with other people.
We know finding the ideal living situation is stressful when you’re
balancing classes and other priorities, so this is our handy dandy issue that
we hope will answer all of your questions.
Our Housing Guide is the perfect tool to help you find out what living
situation best suits your fancy.
And fortunately, at UNC and in the Greeley community, there are
plenty of options for you to choose from.
We’ve provided for you the benefits of eating at home as opposed to
going on that midnight fast food run, which can be found on page 9. We
even included a “do-it-yourself ” craft on page 12 and 13 to make your
home or apartment as trendy as possible while on a budget. Can’t decide if
you want a roommate or not? Read about the pros and cons of having one
on page 6 and 11.
You’ll also be able to read about the different lifestyles a college
student can have when they choose to live either on or off campus.
Whatever questions you may have concerning your housing situation, you
can probably find the answer in this wonderful housing guide our staff has
put together just for you.
Be sure to check out the vacancy list located in the back of this issue.
You’ll be able to find several housing options from that list alone.
Lastly, I’d like to thank our readers for supporting us by picking up a
copy of The Mirror every week.
And on that note, happy house hunting, Bears! I hope you find your
dream college home and roommate. I know I’ve been lucky enough to find
my own.
- Katarina Velazquez
Katarina Velazquez, Editor in Chief of The Mirror
THE MIRRORSTAFF 2014-15
Editor-in-ChiefKatarina Velazquez
Production ManagerManuel Perez
News EditorChelsea Hinspeter
A&C EditorLa’Asianee Brown
Sports EditorJacob Scott
Photo EditorCassius Vasquez
Copy EditorSuzanne Evans
Graphic DesignersSeth Haller
Elleanna Kantz
Advertising ManagerHannah Crowley
Marketing ManagerAmanda Mulnix
General ManagerMatt Lubich
MISSION STATEMENTThe Mirror’s mission is to educate, inform and entertain the students, staff and faculty of the UNC community and to train the staff on the business of journalism in a college-newspaper environment.
ABOUT USThe Mirror produces a print newspaper every Monday during the academic year as well as maintains a current web page. The student-operated newspaper is advised by the non-profit Student Media Corporation and is printed by Signature Offset.
Office Address: 823 16th St.Greeley, Colorado 80631
Phone Number: 970-392-9270
uncmirror.com | 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
6 Roommates vs. Living Alone
7 Movie Must Haves for the Home
8 Fast Food vs. Eating at Home 10 Owning vs. Sharing a Potty
11 Roommates: The Good, The Bad & The Unbearable
12 DIY: Fishbowls for Every Season
14 Streaming Sticks: Channel Surfing Upgraded
15 What You Didn’t Expect
16 Owning a Car on Campus
18 Vacancy Listings
2
3
19
20
The Grove3202 11th Ave.
UNC Student Housing
Woody Investments815 16th Street
University Flats1750 6th Ave
LOOKING FOR A PLACE? START YOUR HOUSE HUNT HERE:
6 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
Following the first year of mandatory on-campus living, students at
UNC must decide whether to form temporary families with roommates or
take on the world alone as a single resident.
The pros and cons of each offer drastic differences that most would not
notice until after a commitment to a yearlong lease.
Living with friends, maybe even the same people from the dorms, allows
students to have deeper social lives. Friends of friends often visit, and this is
a great way to network friends and build relationships.
With larger groups of people living together, the cost of living often goes
down as more people split the rent.
"I definitely prefer to share a space with someone to keep living expenses
low,” senior Tom Geier said. “I can enjoy more personal space when I have
a higher income. Just make sure you live with someone you are compatible
living with."
If students live with people they lived with previously, then they often
already know their roommate’s tendencies and can react to them without
any problems.
“If you’re living with people you don’t know, it’s not guaranteed to be an
awful experience,” junior Emily Ward said. “You’re more than likely going to
make a new friend, but it’s always helpful to know them in some way before
you move in.”
During the school year, it can be helpful after a long day of classes to
come home to friends that have similar lifestyles and can share complaints
and victories.
“My roommates know me better than anyone, and they are my best
friends,” senior Kayla Frampton said. “Plus it’s great to have random Chipo-
tle trips or movie nights complete with ice cream and pizza.”
Roommates can make up a year-round study group and are always avail-
able to talk to. Going to a roommate to vent can help out with mistakes and
tough times. However, alone time can be difficult to find with many roommates.
“I definitely prefer to share a space with someone to keep living expenses low.”
“If it doesn’t have your name on it, it’s free for all. Ice cream
and clothes included.”
The Roommate Dilemma One of the biggest struggles of living with roommates can often be deci-
sion making around the house. Simple chores such as cleaning dishes and
taking out the trash become pride issues that can destroy relationships. If a
roommate is the kind of person who likes to have a ton of people over all the
time, you may get stuck cleaning up someone else’s leftover fun.
All these things can be solved simply by establishing a quick schedule to
prevent catastrophe. An example includes setting ground rules at the begin-
ning of the year.
Living alone is another solution if you are the kind of person who needs
to have things done your way.
Knowing what is in the fridge at all times, having the TV set on the cor-
rect channel every morning and never having to ask where someone is going
may keep you comfortable.
Sophomore Jewel Mahoe said she believes having roommates threatens
personal space.
“If it doesn’t have your name on it, it’s free for all,” Mahoe said. “Ice
cream and clothes included.”
For some, this makes living alone more ideal, because it’s possible to
be truly independent. For students that would like to get into adulthood
quickly, this is likely a good option.
However, a lot of responsibility falls on the resident, as he or she must
fork up more money to live alone. The person must handle bills and mis-
cellaneous tasks, but it can be more peaceful and quiet when wanted, and
parties can happen at any time.
Both options offer attractive qualities, but the resident must decide if he
or she wishes to become more independent or personally connected with
roommates.
College living is something to be remembered, and it can have many
different outcomes, but it will turn out the way it’s made.
By Dylan Sanchez
uncmirror.com | 7
MOVIE MUST-HAVES
By Antonio Hill [email protected]
Every house needs a few items to feel like home. When rent-ing a house for college, these items usually consist of bread, beer and an especially good movie selection. With so many movies out there, how can one know which are the “must-haves” of the movie world? Our generation has the unique characteristic of having grown up reading books that are now produced as movies. That being said, every household needs to own the entire “Harry Potter” film series. Not just one or two of the movies, but all eight of them. These movies can make the most stressed out students feel like a kid again. After watching these movies, a college student can’t help but have a deeper appreciation for professors that don’t try to kill them. And they can sleep better at night knowing that de-mentors don’t patrol UNC or Greeley. Don’t stop there. Nothing says movie marathon day like the “Lord of the Rings” series. This collection is a staple for any household, because when it comes down to it, it teaches students that good friends won’t get them through life; Great ones will. Thank Samwise Gamgee for that. Also, now that the first two Hobbit movies are available for students to own, include them in the marathon. When having guests over, don’t subject them to just the nerdy collections. Obtain a few romantic comedies or “rom-coms” as safe alternatives. Movies like “Knocked Up,” “This is 40” or “Fun-ny People” are sure to make the entire room laugh. These movies show us that when life happens, it doesn’t have to be terrible or frightening. Last but not least, every house needs a solid selection of hor-ror movies. Most people have Netflix for this, but Netflix doesn’t stream the real classics that provide the “pee-in-the-pants” scare. The original versions of movies like “Poltergeist,” “It,” “The Shining” or “Amityville Horror” provide the real terror and create an appreciation for the classics. If old-school movies aren’t your cup of tea, then some modern gems are “The Decent,” “Saw” and “Insidious.” The best enjoyment from horror movies comes when they aren’t taken too seriously. Just find some buddies, pop some pop-corn and yell “Turn around!” every time the blatantly obvious bad guy stalks behind the oblivious victim. A college student can never own too many movies, so op-tions are limitless. Don’t settle for what’s free and streaming.
8 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
QUICK+
COSTLY
uncmirror.com | 9
There’s no doubt that the fast food industry benefits greatly from the
college student demographic. They’re freshly independent, learning how to
handle their money and are generally inexperienced when it comes to cook-
ing for themselves.
However, it’s beneficial for the health and budget of the student to stop
relying on fast food and start cooking at home.
Junior Hailey Reynolds started cooking at home at the beginning of
the fall 2014 semester, when she and her boyfriend moved into an apartment
together.
“When you move into a house where you have a kitchen for the first
time, it’s awesome,” she said. “You get to try so many new things.”
She said with her own kitchen she has the freedom to consider more
options than she did before, even with just her stove and minimal cooking
appliances. She said she made the change to home cooking for various rea-
sons, including health and money. Reynolds said she used to eat fast food a
vast majority of the time and didn’t have the energy she needed.
“I crave McDonald’s all the time,” she said. “But then I think about how
it makes me feel, and I’m like, ‘No, you’re smarter than that.’”
Now, Reynolds goes to the store a few times a week and gets groceries
for simple, delicious dinners she plans in advance.
“You can use fresher, healthier ingredients if you just go to the store,”
she said. “It’s actually way easier to find, and way cheaper than eating out, we
have found.”
Reynolds estimated that she spends around ten dollars a meal when
she eats out, and around thirty when she and her boyfriend eat out. Eating
out twice a day for five days a week, she said she’d spend around 300 dollars,
but she estimated that cooking at home only costs about 130 dollars a week.
“You just feel better after cooking a meal for yourself,” she said. “Last
night we made balsamic vinegar pan-seared pork chops with steamed broc-
coli and hard-boiled eggs. It was so good, and it gives you so much energy.
Senior sport and exercise science major Jacob Lehl said fast food defi-
nitely contributes to an unhealthy body and an unhealthy mind.
“Fast food is basically a ton of salt and empty calories no matter what
you eat,” he said. “This leads to weight gain for most and health problems
down the road, like diabetes and heart problems. Also, fast food has been
linked to depression if it’s eaten too often.”
Lehl shared an opinion similar to Reynolds’, saying fresher, healthier
groceries are the better choice. Better foods are available at grocery stores
everywhere. As far as his own diet, Lehl said he keeps it simple and healthy.
“I usually make shakes out of fruit and yogurt for breakfast, chicken
and veggies for lunch, and lots of fruits and veggies and meat for dinner,” he
said. “I usually eat nuts or peanut butter for snacks.”
Lehl said reasonable portions of meat and large portions of fruits and
veggies are the best way to keep a body healthy. Unnecessary quantities of
breads and carbs should be avoided.
Lehl also had some helpful tips for the transition from fast food to
home cooking. He said Sprouts, Natural Grocers and farmers markets are
actually healthier and cheaper for fresh produce, and coupons are a big help
for students on a budget.
He also said planning meals a few days out helps to limit fast food.
By Danielle Ross
TIME-CONSUMING, butDOESN’T MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE AN ULCER
VS
10 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
By Makalah [email protected]
Bathrooms are luxuries that go unno-ticed prior to college days. It's a commodity that you hardly realize you have until you walk into a bathroom in Wil-son Hall, shower materials in hand, and hear someone else singing the latest Taylor Swift song.
This is an experience similar to one that almost every underclassman goes through. Is it as bad as it sounds?
One University of Northern Colo-rado student who argues the bathrooms offered in the dorms aren't terrible is Ju-lya Brown, a senior nutrition major, who lived in Wilson Hall during her freshman year and Turner Hall during her sopho-more year.
“In Wilson, the janitorial staff stayed on top of cleaning,” Brown said. “For the most part it was decent. The showers had some mildew, and they were kind of gross.”
Brown also reflected on the differ-ences between Wilson Hall's community bathrooms and the bathroom she shared
with her roommate in Turner Hall.
“It was nicer to know that I was shar-ing a bathroom with one person instead of everyone,” Brown said.
Now she lives with her best friend in an apartment off campus. Brown said she enjoys having her own personal bath-room, but just like her previous bath-rooms, it comes with some undesirable points.
“It's nice to know like, 'Oh, it's just me using this bathroom,'” Brown said. “The only thing is sometimes we let it go too long. Now it's your responsibility to clean it, so when you let it go too long, it's like,
'Oh gosh, I've got to take care of this.'”
Jamie Castaneda, a UNC freshman double majoring in nursing and biology, doesn't have to worry as much about
cleaning the bathroom be-cause she shares it with three
other girls. Castaneda said she has no problem with her North
Hall suite bathroom situation.
“It works as long as we don't all have to go to the bathroom at the same time,” Castaneda said.
Brandon Lopez, a freshman criminal justice major living in Harrison Hall, said he rarely thinks of his dorm bathroom as a negative factor in college life.
“We all stay out of each other's way for the most part, so it works out,” Lopez said. As far as Brown is concerned, the con-troversy regarding shared bathrooms and personal ones can be summarized in one simple sentence. “I think it's nicer to have your own bathroom, but it wasn't bad in Wilson,” she said. In other words, the dorm bathrooms aren't the best, but they're also not the worst.
“It works as long as we don’t all have to go to the bathroom
at the same time.”
“Now it’s your responsibility to clean it, so when you let it go too long, it’s like, ‘Oh gosh, I’ve got to
take care of this.’”
PORCELAIN PERKSOWNING VS. SHARING A POTTY
uncmirror.com | 11
By Ashley Montano
Whether they met as strangers in the dorms, buddied up off-campus or
accompanied each other to some far off destination, hardly anyone forgets
his or her college roommate.
A roommate can either become a best friend or a worst enemy. Regard-
less, having roommates is a learning experience in and of itself in college.
Bre Keller, a sophomore art major, said her roommate experience in
the dorms was not what she was expecting.
Keller explained that people treat freshmen in the dorms like children,
so she decided to leave. She said she wanted to live off-campus because she
thought it would make her feel more mature.
“Although there were more activities to do in the dorms, I feel more
adult off-campus,” Keller said.
Keller said she did not like the suitemates she had living in the dorms,
but she created a long-lasting relationship with her roommate. She and her
roommate became best friends during their time together.
“We met in the dorms, so that is one good thing that came out of that
situation,” Keller said.
According to Keller, living with anyone else would make her want to
transfer schools. She said she likes her house away from campus because it
has more of a “homey” feel.
“I could not be happier,” Keller said. “My roommate and I will be best
friends forever.”
There are some misconceptions that students who study abroad find
difficult to adjust to when in another country.
But Amanda Macdonald, a senior journalism major, said the study
abroad experience was great because of the roommates she met there.
Macdonald studied abroad in Scotland her junior year. She said that
she did not know anyone going through the same program.
“There was a girl from England, North Carolina and Australia,” Mac-
donald said. “To my surprise, we all became best friends.”
Macdonald said that it’s important to keep an open mind when travel-
“I think I’d rather have a roommate because it gets lonely,” George said.
ROOMMATESTHE GOOD
THE BADTHE UNBEARABLE
“But there are benefits to living alone, like the silence.”
Mark Harro | The Mirror
ing abroad and meeting new people. People from other places can quickly
become the best of friends, she said.
“All of them were really cool and super sweet,” she said. “There wasn’t
anyone that I couldn’t stand.”
Macdonald said she keeps in touch with the friends she made abroad.
She plans to visit North Carolina soon and received the opportunity to travel
to Spain for spring break with one of her old roommates she met abroad.
Ashlee George, a sophomore education major, lives in the dorms on
central campus. This is her second year doing so, and she said she does not
plan on moving out anytime soon.
“It is nice living in a quiet and safe environment,” George said. “Al-
though I would like to have my roommate back.”
George currently lives alone because her old roommate transferred
schools.
George said she wished she had the chance to know her first roommate
better before they moved in together.
She said that if she had made the effort she might still have a room-
mate, and maybe they would have become close friends.
“I think I’d rather have a roommate because it gets lonely,” she said.
“But there are benefits to living alone, like the silence.”
George said students should be ready to expect anything when they
sign up to live in the dorms. There are a lot of nice people, George said, but
you may have to go through a couple bad roommates to get to the good ones.
While some students are stuck with less than desirable roommates, many
students have roommate experiences that develop into lifelong friendships.
12 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
DIY: FISHBOWLS FORBy La’Asianee [email protected]
A fishbowl can do more than house colorful critters; It can serve as an affordable centerpiece for students on a budget. Decorating is essential when making a home away from
home, but sometimes it can get to be too costly. Luckily, this cheap “Do It Yourself ” (DIY) craft can be adjusted to every season for less than $5. While this article covers seasonal fillings, you can adjust the content in the fishbowl for any holiday or occasion.
SUMMER:What you need:
- Fishbowl - Potting soil - Seeds or plants
This fishbowl is for those who have a green thumb. During the summer months, keep a small cup designated to watering the plant in the bowl. Guests will be able to interact with your home. It is also an awesome opportunity to grow some fresh herbs such as thyme, basil and mint.
Alternative idea: “The glow bowl”: Fill with glow sticks and enjoy when hanging out on hot summer nights.
SPRING:What you need:
- Fishbowl - Glass beads, smell good beads or water - Artificial flowers or real flowers - Scissors
If spring isn’t your thing because of allergies, don’t let your nose get you down. You can always find a way to bring spring into your home with this fishbowl. Scavenge the local Hobby Lobby or arts store for spring-looking artificial flowers, such as tulips or daisies. If you don’t care for seasonal “appropriateness,” you can always grab flowers that have a bit of sparkle to them.
Alternative idea: For those with a green thumb (and no aller-gies), grab a fresh bouquet and fill your bowl with water.
uncmirror.com | 13
FALL:What you need:
- Fishbowl - Window Marker - Candy
Jack-o’-lanterns can sometimes be a pain to carve. Ditch the pointy tools and grab a marker. Draw the scariest (or most adorable) face you can think of on your handy dandy fish bowl. Afterwards, fill your bowl to the brim with candy corn and chocolate, and watch the bowl empty through the season.
Alternative ideas: Popcorn bowl or a pretzel bowl.
WINTER:What you need:
- Fish bowl - Cloth with a preferred design - Rubber band or tie - Cookies
Who doesn’t like cookies with morning coffee or hot choco-late? Well, winter is the perfect season to put sweet treats into the fishbowl. Add your favorite holiday cookies, or make a fresh batch every week or so. Take a cloth and use a rubber band to tie it to the entrance of your bowl, making a seal. Be sure to sanitize the bowl whenever you change the cookies so that you aren’t spreading holiday flu with your holiday cheer.
Alternative ideas: Candy bowl or a poinsettia bowl.
EVERY SEASONfrom La’Asianee Brown, The Mirror Arts & Culture Editor
14 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
Have you considered upgrading your entertainment center? If you
have, then consider a class of devices known as “streaming sticks.” Th ough
these devices are only 30-40 percent larger than USB fl ash drives, they bring
a digital cornucopia of content to anyone.
All you need is a TV with an HDMI output and a Wi-Fi connection.
Without the messy cords, long wires and long setup time, you can stream
high defi nition content from your choice of content provider. Of the stream-
ing sticks, there are three devices that off er similar features.
Th e fi rst choice in the streaming stick lineup would be the Amazon
Fire Stick TV. At only $39, it is only slightly more expensive than its in-
tended competitor— Google Chromecast. But users will fi nd that it is well
worth the money.
Th e Fire Stick off ers a superior feature set, off ering a dual-core pro-
cessor and 1 GB RAM, which contribute to a smoother and more reliable
viewing experience. Users will also be impressed by the 8 GB fl ash memory,
which allows users to store a fair amount of personal content, such as mov-
ies, pictures or games, on the device.
Once set up, the Fire Stick can be used to stream and watch content
through Netfl ix, Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, ESPN, HBO, YouTube,
Vimeo and Twitch, among others. Even further, users can also use the device
as a media streamer by connecting to Pandora, Spotify and iHeartRadio.
Google Chromecast is the second device on the list, and at $35, it
stands as a fair competitor to the Fire Stick. It off ers an impressive array
of options for streaming content, including Netfl ix, ESPN, HBO, Hulu and
YouTube, to name a few. Like the Fire Stick, it allows for streaming through
Pandora and iHeartRadio.
One of the superior features of Chromecast is the ability to connect to
any Android or Apple smartphone and broadcast videos, pictures and audio.
Similarly, any laptop with Chrome Internet browser can cast whatever
is on the screen to Chromecast, allowing people to stream videos on screen
with minimal eff ort.
Compared to the Fire Stick, Chromecast is lacking in hardware, pos-
sessing a single core processor, 512 MB (1/2 GB of RAM and half of the Fire
Stick) and 2 GB of internal memory (1/4 the storage of the Fire Stick).
Th ese features may become problematic for users interested in storing
extra content, those who anticipate issues connecting to Wi-Fi or those who
want a true high defi nition experience. However, fl exibility, ease of use and
lower price still make Chromecast an excellent mid-range choice.
Th e third choice is an off ering from Roku.
At $50, the Roku streaming stick is the most expensive option in the
lineup but off ers an array of features that make it competitive with Amazon
and Google’s off erings.
Unfortunately, the Roku streaming stick is severely lacking in the hard-
ware department and lags behind its competitors, with a single core proces-
sor, 512 MB of RAM, and 256 MB of fl ash storage. Th is is approximately 32
times less than the storage of Amazon’s Fire Stick.
Ultimately, these hardware features mean that users of the Roku
streaming stick may experience issues with streaming quality, especially on
higher defi nition videos, which require more processing power.
Despite these lacking features, the Roku streaming stick does possess a
dual band/dual antenna Wi-Fi chip, a feature that allows the Roku to com-
pete with the Amazon Fire Stick.
As technology advances, upgrading an entertainment system is becom-
ing far less expensive and far more compact. Th e streaming stick allows those
who want to ditch the hassle of cords to do so without breaking the bank.
CHANNEL SURFINGUPGRADED
By Grant Bacon
uncmirror.com | 15
WHAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT
By Makalah Emanuel
In “The Wizard of Oz,” children are taught “there’s no place like
home.” In college, students usually figure out just how true this statement
can be.
This was the case for James Bahati, a junior double majoring in com-
munications and international affairs.
Bahati lives in a house with eight other men. He said the arrangement
is tough and often reflects on previous living situations at Turner Hall and
his mother’s house.
“When I go home, my mama makes me free dinner,” Bahati said. “I
don’t have to do any work. I don’t have to clean. Having someone who can
do that for you is nice.”
Not living on campus can be difficult, Bahati said.
“Here in Greeley, I have to cook for myself,” he said. “I have to clean
everything. Pretty much everything is on me like schoolwork, time manage-
ment, it’s all on me. It’s tough.”
Michael Post, a junior criminal justice major, said he can relate to the
difficulties that come with living on one’s own.
“I always had the ability to have my laundry washed through my parents
or through the school,” Post said. “When I went to live in a house for the
first time, I honestly did not know how to use the washer. I didn’t know
what clothes shrunk in the dryer and all that.”
Post said he also struggled with grocery shopping and cooking.
“With working out a lot, I have to eat well, but I’m not the best cook in
the world,” Post said. “I have to buy my own groceries and do all that stuff.
It’s a tough change, but it’s doable.”
Bahati said that although there’s a different environment living in the
dorms compared to living off-campus, that’s not always negative.
“When I lived in the dorms, it was about more academics and less of
your social life,” Bahati said. “Now, it’s more social life because I have to
see the guys every second.”
Bahati said that despite the adjustment and additional responsibility,
there are some benefits to living on one’s own as well.
“I like living in my house more than the dorms just because you have a
lot more freedom, like cooking for example,” Bahati said. “There are more
things that I can cook at my house that I probably wasn’t capable of mak-
ing at the dorms, like my favorite African cuisine or frying fish. Nobody
wants to smell fried fish in the dorms. Now I have the benefit to do that at
my own house.”
Despite the challenges, Bahati said he still believes living on your own
is better than living in the dorms.
Now, if only clicking heels three times worked for cooking, cleaning
or finishing up the laundry, college students would be set for their entire
careers at UNC.
!!!
16 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
TO DRIVE OR NOT TO DRIVE?:
THAT IS THE QUESTION
As college freshmen survive their rite of passage by living in over-
priced and overpopulated dorm rooms, they embark on new journeys to
fi nd a place to live.
From where to live and who to live with, a large and equally weighted
decision comes into play: To own a car or not? Th is decision will likely aff ect
a person’s housing choice as well.
From having lived on both sides of this argument, they each have good
and bad things about them.
Th e appeals of owning a car are, of course, luxury and easy travel.
Th is includes getting groceries, shopping and traveling to other towns to
enjoy the weekend. Car owners tend to become ride-givers to four-wheel-
impaired friends, and many people are glad to provide the lift .
Owning a nice car has its appeal, both to women and men; Th ey can be
fast, luxurious, economical or fl ashy.
Do you choose comfort or gas mileage? A large truck or compact car?
Oft en a person’s car is a little window into who they are and what they value
in life. But is it necessary to own a car to survive college? No.
Most importantly, cars are expensive. Cars include the initial purchase,
insurance, gasoline and regular maintenance. If repairs are avoided, you will
still pay when larger expensive repairs require immediate attention. When
you have a car, the need to live close to campus doesn’t seem as important.
But then do you pay for a parking pass, which doesn’t guarantee a spot
in the lot? Th is could leave you spending ample amounts of time racing
around like Dale Earnhardt, since you likely only left enough time to get to
class. So you end up parking a few blocks from campus, next to a house that
has a “For Rent” sign, looking quite nice as you return to scrape the ice from
your frozen windshield, hoping your heater is going to work.
Getting downtown to go enjoy some good beer at the local Irish pub,
or maybe swing dance at the country western bar, is quick and easy. But
what about those nights you have more than two drinks, putting you over
the legal alcohol limit? Th en you’re forced to either walk or catch a taxi home
and return to your car around 10 a.m. to fi nd a parking ticket.
Th e fl ip-side to having a car on campus is our two-wheeled friend, the
bike, that has been our primary source of transportation for most of our
lives and was central to the cherished, downhill speedy adventures of our
youth. I still enjoy the rushing thrill of feeling the wind rush past me when
riding down a hill, and traversing over mounds of grassy hills that become
jumps rather than landscaping.
Within a short distance on most bicycles, you can get anywhere just
about as quickly on a bike as you can in a car; And parking is always avail-
able just outside the doors of most classes. Not only does it kill calories and
shape legs, the cost of owning a bicycle is near to none. But is this metal
friend impervious to bad qualities? No.
Most of us know the defeated and sad nature of getting a bike stolen or
having the wheels taken off . We know the feeling of realizing our trusty steed
picked up a sneaky tire-defl ating thorn somewhere in the concrete jungle.
Sometimes even the malfunction of a bike or weather-infl icted road rash
leaves a scar in remembrance of the incident.
At some point, it does become a necessity to own a vehicle. Our choice
on that should be well thought through, but there will always be your faith-
ful two-wheeled friend to remind you of the simpler things in life.
So when you’re weighing the options of what mode of transportation
best suits how you want to spend your time and money… buy a motorcycle.
By Stefan Lamb
uncmirror.com | 17
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18 | Housing Guide | Spring 2015
Address Rooms Price1915 11th Ave 8 Bedroom $365 per room1528 9th Ave 7 Bedroom $325 per room2029 8th Ave 7 Bedroom $345 per room2005 9th Ave 6 Bedroom $345 per rom1031 20th St 6 Bedroom $335 per room724 16th St 5 Bedroom $345 per room1017 16th St 5 Bedroom $345 per room2115 9th Ave 4 Bedroom $340 per room815 16th St 3 Bedroom $335 per room1604 8th Ave 3 Bedroom $395 per room820 23rd St 3 Bedroom $315 per room1424 11th Ave 2 Bedroom $7251424 11th Ave 1 Bedroom $575815 16th 1 Bedroom $550825 12th 1 Bedroom $550
Vacancy List for 2015-2016Brought to you by Woody’s InvestmentsServing UNC Students for 20 Years
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1 Bed - $575 / 2 Bed - $725
$325
New Affordable 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments!
University Flats offer premium off-campus student housing at affordable prices. The two and three-bedroom units are just two blocks from the University of Northern Colorado, making it super convenient to get to class on time without energy spent on commuting. The upscale amenities at University Flats are unsurpassed, including private bedrooms and bathrooms, clubhouse, fitness center, swimming pool, community events and much, much more!
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