Freshmen adjust to unconventional student living

ECU welcomed its largest freshman class in history this fall with 5,500 students.

With such a large increase from last fall, ECU was unfortunately unable to house 280 of these new students in campus housing. To remedy this problem, ECU was forced to lease space off campus at both The Bellamy and North Campus Crossing apartment complexes.

Each of these complexes houses both RAs and a professional staff member that coordinates "hall meetings" and oversees the freshman living within the complex.

The East Carolinian has since caught up with both students and the complexes involved to get an inside look at what life is like for these freshmen.

"I had mixed feelings when I first found out I would be moving into North Campus Crossing," said Aaron Johnson, freshman. "Living in the dorms freshman year is a big part of college and I definitely won't be able to meet as many people."

Johnson said that the complex was a bit overwhelming at first, but he has learned to enjoy the freedom that off-campus housing offers.

"I don't have to worry about what time my guests leave and I love the pools and weight rooms. However, I really dislike the distance from everyone on campus. I have a lot of friends from high school that live in the dorms and I don't get to see them as much," Johnson said.

According to Aaron Lucier, associate director for Campus Living, some students have vocalized concerns, and have been able to make the normal room changes available to freshman in housing. Some students have even been lucky enough to find whole rooms empty and choose their roommates.

"We have been in regular contact via email with both the RAs and the professional staff at The Bellamy and North Campus Crossing," said Lucier. "We haven't forgotten about them."

All students will be required to move back on campus by the end of the semester, and Housing will set deadlines by which students must be out.

"We're putting the ball back in the students' court to decide when to move," Lucier said.

Kiya Bolds, the coordinator for both Tyler Hall and The Bellamy, said that moving "will be a challenge."

"We don't want them to feel completely lost, and would like to empower the students and give them flexibility to move when it works for them," said Bolds.

According to Property Manager Sarah Brock at North Campus Crossing, the number of students living at the complex shifts from day to day due to students moving to campus.

"I speak with ECU on a daily basis," said Brock. "We're constantly communicating about who is turning in keys to move back and who is picking up keys to move in."

Unfortunately for all students at North Campus Crossing, transportation has proved to be a problem.

"We've started to run buses every 10 minutes beginning at 7 a.m.," Brock said. "It's helped a lot but we still have very crowded buses."

North Campus Crossing has also made it easier to distinguish who is a Campus Living resident and who is not by making their resident IDs a different color from Campus Living residents'.

Both The Bellamy and North Campus Crossing have also opened their clubhouses for activities and late-night dining opportunities on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 10-12 p.m.

"We've been sure to give these residents the essential meeting space they need for activities," said The Bellamy's Property Manager, Donna Scurry.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.