Although Oakland University’s population is overwhelming commuter students, those living on campus feel that they have many benefits.

Community

OU freshmen Walter Lashar, Cody Corbin, Steve VanNada and Marc DuBuis live on the fifth floor of West Vandenberg, known to many simply as “5 West.” The all-male, mostly underclassmen Honors College floor has become more than just a place to sleep for its residents.

The floor’s residents spend a lot of time hanging out with each other in their lounge, located in the middle of the floor. Like its location, the lounge is a central component of 5 West’s community. At all hours of the day and night, 5 West residents can be found there, watching movies, playing video games, studying and relaxing. “It’s a great community with all the guys,” biology major Lashar said.

“5 West is pretty much like one big family,” biology major Corbin said. “The lounge doesn’t feel like a floor lounge, it feels like my living room,” VanNada, an undecided major, said.

The honors floor is just one of several living communities in the university’s dorms, and, according Zentmeyer, has one of the strongest representations in the residence halls.

“We (have) academically themed communities such as the pre-business floor, the eco-interest floor the pre-nursing floor and our first-year experience for our freshmen students living in Hamlin Hall,” Zentmeyer said.

Campus involvement

Zentmeyer said that housing students have a lot of impact on the university.

“I think the residential student population is making its voice heard,” he said. “(Housing) students are the ones that are hanging out all night long for basketball ball tickets, (they) are the ones that are heavily involved in the Grizz Gang, well, they’re heavily involved period.”

The college experience

Another benefit of living on campus is that students have the opportunity to live on their own and be independent from their parents.

“It’s a completely different experience living on campus,” Corbin said.

Political science and history major DuBuis said that living in the dorms is a great option when you’re coming straight out of your parents’ house, but aren’t ready to live on your own in an apartment yet.

“It’s just good to get that experience,” he said. “It’s a good transition.”

Academic support

On-campus residents also have the benefit of nearby academic support programs.

The housing units offer many different outreach programs to help students academically.

DuBuis believes that living on campus is more academically stimulating than living at home because he is constantly surrounded by other students.

 

Contact copy editor Madeline Loshaw via e-mail at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MadelineLo