By Sierra Huitt |
Alongside excited freshmen and their nervous parents on move-in day was an equally eager group of people: upperclassmen. Unlike their younger neighbors, these upperclassmen have previous Residence Life experience and are choosing to remain on campus.
Staying on campus is beneficial for those who don’t want to worry about taking the trash out on time or creating the dreaded chore chart. While their off-campus counterparts are learning the do’s and don’ts of North Portland neighborhoods, these upperclassmen are lingering a little while longer, prompting residence life to take another look at the value of upperclassmen living on-campus.
Residence Life Director Christopher Haug believes upperclassmen choosing to stay on campus benefits not only the older students, but the entire UP population. Though moving off campus can help one develop life skills earlier such as cohabiting with roommates and dealing with difficult landlords, many students are taking advantage of the skills and perks one can receive on campus such as security, utilities, laundry rooms and free cable.
“It benefits all of us as a community,” Haug says.
Though the new Residence Life director pointed out the benefits of living off campus, he firmly believes that the sense of community on campus is one of the most important elements of students choosing to remain on campus.
“My vision of residential education is one where we’re providing students an experience where they feel connected to a small group of people, very closely, so that they can then learn a lot of those skills that we all need to be good neighbors to each other when we do move off campus, and to be good colleagues when we’re in the workplace,” Haug said. “Honestly the most important thing is so that we learn how to treat each other.”
Junior Sarah Weedin said that her choice to stay on campus in Mehling Hall was about community and enjoying the on-campus lifestyle. “You’ve got the rest of your life to be off campus,” Weedin said. She admits that it is also about delaying the difficulties of real life for a little while longer and enjoying the luxuries unique to on-campus living.
Kenna Hall resident Dorothea Nguyen said living on campus allows her to have relationships with all students and serve as a role model. She also chose to remain in the halls due to convenience.
“It’s more convenient for me, and also since you’re on campus you’re in the hubbub of things,” she said, “And I have two campus jobs already, so it’s just easier.”
Jake DePledge, a junior ROTC Haggerty Hall resident, has stuck with student housing because of his ROTC scholarship like many of his neighbors. DePledge also appreciates the “homey feel” he gets from remaining close to his friends. Unlike off-campus housing, residence halls guarantees one to live side-by-side his or her peers.
Residence Life welcomes all upperclassmen but addresses the fact that when more upperclassmen choose to live on campus, the typical residence halls will need to rethink living situations.
Haug explained that with more students living on campus, Residence Life has the opportunity to create memorable, unique experiences that will make more students want to live on-campus.
“How can we make the residence halls feel less cookie cutter-ish and more gourmet?” Haug said. “We have the opportunity to make every residence hall feel unique.”
Residence Life hopes future expansion projects on the River Campus will encourage more upperclassmen to find a home in new residence halls. In the meantime, Residence Life challenges the current hall directors to create an identity connecting all classes for students to latch onto.
Beyond the living benefits of residence halls, upperclassmen that stay also have the opportunity to help UP create an identity, mold traditions alongside their younger hall mates and help the university expand. The lingering upperclassmen use their final years on campus as an opportunity to grow up with The Bluff and spend a little bit more time protected from the problems of the real world.
As Nguyen puts it, “I’ll get there eventually.”
