OCC: Preparing Your Student to Live Off Campus

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The college experience is all about growth and change. And, at some point in a college student's life, there will come a time to move out of the house or the residence hall and live independently. If a student is prepared, living on your own for the very first time can be exciting and full of new challenges. But, if a student is not ready or is uninformed, this time can be filled instead with stressful and sometimes costly situations.

Off Campus Connections (occ.uark.edu) provides valuable resources to assist students who are preparing to live off-campus. Whether it's sharing off-campus meal plan options or providing smart move-in tips, staff members are ready to help. When a student is making a transition to off-campus living, there are a few things that they should be aware of. Talk to your student about topics like: creating and managing a personal budget, choosing the right place to live, roommates , leasing rights and legal obligations, renters insurance, being a good neighbor/resident, and how they plan on staying connected to campus. Discussing these issues ahead of time can prepare your student for the next step in their life.

Participation in the annual housing fair, "On Your Own," is highly recommended for students who will be living off-campus in the summer or fall of 2012. Students could once delay securing off-campus housing until they returned to school in the fall, but those days are gone. Occupancy rates, especially near campus are quite high, so students should make living arrangements early. Fourteen property managers representing over 150 living communities, along with several educational organizations, will be on site to assist students. This event, which will award over $2,000 in prizes, occurs from 11am - 2pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 in the International Connections Lounge of the Arkansas Union.

In addition, the university eases the pain of locating off-campus housing through a free, searchable housing website that is available to students online anytime. The site allows your student to view property photos, map locations, look for roommates, and compare costs and amenities of local partner properties.

University of Arkansas students are successful both inside and outside of the classroom. They are members of our local community. Our housing fair and housing website, along with Off Campus Connections staff can assist with this important life transition!