With MU’s freshman enrollment 16% higher this year, Residential Life has expanded off campus to accommodate its students.
Residential Life now has apartments at the Rise, Campus Lodge and U Centre on Turner.
Emily Wetzel is the residence hall coordinator for Mizzou at Campus Lodge. She was also a residence hall coordinator at Schurz Hall last year, and she said that major differences coordinating at an apartment complex include the way she communicates information to residents.
“In Schurz, there were a lot of lounges and bulletin boards to hang up flyers,” Wetzel said. “At Campus Lodge, since it’s all open, it’s a lot more direct communication. I’m sending them a lot more emails and [hanging flyers at residents’ apartments].”
Although there are many differences between being a hall coordinator on campus and off campus, Wetzel said that ResLife is trying to make the living experience the same no matter where students live. One element that is consistent throughout all ResLife buildings is the support of the resident advisors.
ResLife students can also participate in programming sponsored by Campus Lodge and ResLife exclusive programming. So far this year, ResLife has had a barbecue, a s’mores night and a pumpkin painting night.
Freshman Sam Coday has participated in Campus Lodge’s Fall Fest and Board Game Night.
“I don’t feel that I’m missing out on any activities because Campus Lodge has done a pretty great job with providing events throughout the year so far,” he said.
Coday also said that he likes the independent lifestyle that living in an apartment has offered.
“It’s nice to have that freedom where I have my own bedroom,” he said. “Living in an apartment is a little different from the traditional college life. I feel like I can be more of an adult. I’m able to choose when I want to cook, clean and do laundry.”
Tabitha Grace is a sophomore who lived in Gateway Hall last year and now lives at Campus Lodge through ResLife.
Based on her first year living in a residence hall on campus, she said that freshmen are missing getting to know their community in their hall and on their floors. She also said she misses how close she was to any resource on campus.
“I miss how close everything was,” Grace said. “It was always a short walk to a dining hall if you were hungry. You didn’t have to drive or take a shuttle to get to class; you could just walk. Everything was just a lot simpler.”
ResLife residents are required to purchase a dining plan, but it’s a flexible one that allows them to choose to cook meals at their apartments. ResLife has partnered with Campus Dining Services to have culinary exploration sessions where students can learn how to cook.
Wetzel said that by living off campus with ResLife, students learn essential skills like time management. Campus Lodge residents have access to the shuttle service offered by Campus Lodge and they have to manage their time by making sure they get on the right shuttle to get to class on time.
“As long as students are working on their time management, it allows for a very independent living situation, which is unique to living with [ResLife],” Wetzel said. “I think it allows them to grow in that way so that they can work on that time management and have that independent living in these apartment complexes while still getting the support from Residential Life.”
_Edited by Laura Evans | levans@themaneater.com_
