Off-campus information, freebies lure students to Russell House
In spite of the gloomy weather, there was nothing but a cheery atmosphere at Monday’s Off-Campus Housing Fair, which took place in the Russell House Ballroom.
Hundreds of students stopped by to see representatives from apartments and housing complexes around Columbia.
“Our goal is for students to know what their options are,” said Taylor Cain, a graduate assistant in USC’s Off-Campus Student Services. “We try to get as many apartments out here for the students.”
And there were many students looking for a new place to live. With less available living space on campus next fall and with more students filling existing off-campus spots, there is a growing demand for new rooms.
“I now live off campus, but my housing is already filled (for next year),” said Mikia Fowler, a third-year biology student. “I need to find somewhere else to live.”
Other students at the fair also lived off campus but were simply looking for better deals and lower prices. And, as second-year business student John McCarthy said, “Proximity to the campus is a big deal.”
Students currently living on campus also attended the fair. Some were just looking for more information about their options, while some, like second-year business management student Ashleigh Meserve, were wait-listed for on-campus housing and needed a backup plan.
However, the freebies were a big draw to the fair. Many students seemed more interested in collecting these than in finding housing.
“I came definitely for the shirts. I love the shirts,” said Arjun Varadarajan, a third-year biology student.
Pens, cups, T-shirts, koozies and even stylus pens, all printed with logos and contact information, were handed out to students, who had to give no more than their names and email addresses in exchange.
“It just so happens that a lot of the apartments give out a lot of free stuff, but I think it helps students know better what options there are,” Cain said.
Games and contests only added to the frenzy to collect free stuff. By the time they left, many students walked out with one or two bags full of products the apartments passed out.
In the end, though, housing was what mattered most to representatives and students looking for a new home.
“We’re just trying to get information out to as many people as possible. We’re trying to get people to visit the properties,” Riverside Apartments representative Justin Johnson said.
As the demand for housing near campus grows, more apartments are coming to the fair. Though the fair has been held for many years, several complexes, such as Stadium Suites and Aspyre, made their first appearances this school year.
Representatives from housing complexes were intent on promoting desirable prices and living environments. Passing out brochures and packets, they ensured that ultimately, besides the free swag, students would get the housing information they needed.