Mizzou Student Living 101
by Emily Schmidt, posted May 12, 2008
Whether you are entering Mizzou as a freshman next fall and living in the dorm, or you’re an older student renting a house or apartment, your first experience of living independently from your parents can be both exciting and stressful. Living on your own is a crucial time in any student’s life. From cooking your own meals, to being responsible enough to regulate your sleep schedule, students have much to keep in mind.
Dorm Living
If you decide to live in a dorm, you’ll sign a residence hall contract before arriving at Mizzou. On “move-in day,” you’ll receive your room key and will need to fill out a form documenting the condition of the room. It is important to spend time carefully filling out this form because, if done correctly, it should accurately show the damage the room has incurred before you move in. This will protect you from being charged for damages caused by previous occupants.
Dorm life is highly recommended for freshmen coming to campus. Not only will it help you meet people and make friends more easily, but it also makes getting to classes easier as you don’t have to drive in and then deal with parking. Living on campus also makes it simpler to get involved in campus clubs, organizations and activities.
The dining halls are readily available and open almost all days of the week. Eva J’s is open Monday through Friday; Rollins is open all week long with the exception of Friday and Saturday evenings; and Pavilion at Dobbs, Mark Twain Market, and Plaza 900 are open seven days a week. These locations are easy and convenient for student use at any time of the day.
Your dorm will have floor meetings and a budget to support activities for the students who live there. Many have barbecues, ice cream socials, pizza and movie nights, and other activities. During finals week, snacks and meals are brought in for the students as “brain food.”
Moving out of the dorm is a little easier than moving in, with the exception of packing and saying goodbyes! You must clean your room and leave it in the condition in which you found it on move-in day. Before you leave, a hall adviser will take a look at the room report you filled out on move-in day, compare the current condition with damages noted on the report and file a new report.
Apartment Living
Making the big move off campus to live on your own can be more complicated. You must be willing and ready to take on more responsibility to ensure a healthy living environment.
When signing a lease, it’s important to know exactly what the terms to the contract mean. Here are some questions you should ask before signing a lease:
- When is rent due?
- What, exactly, does the rent include (utilities, internet connection, etc.)
- What is the grace period?
- When does my lease end?
- What is the proper check-out procedure? (Improper check-out often results in a fine.)
- What do I do if there is a problem with an amenity (internet connection, pool, recreation center, etc.)?
- What do I do if I experience noise problems from other tenants?
- What do I do if I damage something in the apartment?
These questions will help you start a conversation with your landlord about the features of your rental and will help you become aware of potential problems. Make sure you keep a copy of your contract for future reference.
Sophomore Megan Ostling has lived in Campus Lodge since she moved out of the dorms following her freshman year of college.
“I just love Campus Lodge,” said Ostling. “It’s close to campus, and offers so many extras that other complexes don’t have.”
In March of 2008, Ostling signed a new lease at The Reserve. Because of a roommate conflict, Ostling decided she wanted to get out of her Reserve contract and remain at Campus Lodge. The cancellation fee The Reserve required was $200. Her parents paid her fee and called it her “birthday present.”
“I’m so glad I am staying in Campus Lodge,” said Ostling. “It’s saving me so much trouble that I won’t have to deal with next semester.”
Many local apartment complexes have amenities aimed at the college audience. The most popular apartments in the Columbia area for college students include Campus Lodge, The Reserve, Campus View, Copper Beech, Grindstone, and The Cottages of Columbia. These apartments offer a variety of features for residents only. They may include a recreation center, pool, basketball court, sand volleyball court, computer lab, tanning beds, and study rooms. This isn’t the end of the “extras.” Inside select apartment complexes, there are washers and dryers, dishwashers, 52” plasma TVs, large bedrooms with private bathrooms, walk-in closets, and mirrored closet doors, and some even come fully furnished!
These apartments offer conveniences often not found in the typical house that a student might rent. Houses in Columbia are usually rented through a realtor or an agency.
A House to call Home
When choosing a house, it is important to choose reliable roommates in addition to carefully inspecting the home to check for damages that you don’t want charged to you when you move out.
Contracts vary from landlord to landlord. Generally, each person who signs is responsible for an equal share of the rent. If one person decides not to live in the house, the total rent still must be paid. That means the price per person will increase.
Recently Katy Nivens signed a contract for a home with her three friends. One of them decided not to live with them anymore. Now the three girls are scrambling to find another roommate.
“It’s terrible the way things played out,” Nivens said. “I was excited for this home, but now I am just anxious to find another roommate.”
Make sure you know exactly what you are agreeing to pay for. The people who sign a lease are legally bound to pay their share of the rent. In addition, there are other expenses you must budget for when you rent a house. You will need to go through the city of Columbia for utilities, water and trash, and through a separate cable company for Internet and cable.
Be sure you know whom to contact if anything needs to be fixed at your rental property. Make sure to always contact your landlord about these problems. Don’t make any changes without the landlord’s consent first! Know the phone number of your landlord and keep it handy.
If you need to end a lease, notify your landlord. In most cases, you must pay your rent through the time your contract ends.
In case something major happens with a piece of property, it’s important to know your rights. The MU Wellness Resource Center offers a free online course for those who want to learn to be a good tenant and neighbor. The MU Student Legal Services Web site has general legal advice for students who may be taking precautions when choosing their housing for the upcoming semesters.
