What is it like living like an adult but feeling like a student? CSU student gives her perspective

It’s a tricky thing, making the transition from wide-eyed first year student to living completely independently afterwards. But even moving into an apartment still reminisces of an interdependent living style that some got used to when living on campus. Moving into a house is a whole other ballgame, especially when it’s further from the hub of campus. I spoke with Kat Kelly on this matter, a third year Criminal Justice student who lives in the area beyond where Taft Hill road and Elizabeth meet. A residential area equally occupied by students and non-students alike. Here, the dynamic can be more complicated than some people think.

Q: What made you choose living in a house over living in an apartment?

Kelly: Honestly, cheaper rent.

Q: Understandable. Do you like living a little farther from campus?

Kelly: It’s hard sometimes, especially because I work on campus so I have to drive there pretty early and there’s a lot of traffic.

Q: Do you feel like it benefits you at all?

Kelly: I guess in that way it gives me more responsibility.

Q: Does you feel disconnected from campus because of that distance?

Kelly: No, I wasn’t really involved with campus life, even when I lived in an apartment last year that was really close to campus.

Q: So, do you like that there are so many non-student residents in this neighborhood, or do you feel that it’s a disadvantage?

Kelly: I like that there’s not a ton of students because there’s less cops always around because of that. And that way it’s not loud on the weekends, either.

Q: Yeah, there’s that stigma about students as residents, like they party a lot and cause a nuisance. Do you think that’s always the case with student neighbors?

Kelly: We had issues with some college kids on the other side of our block throwing some rowdy parties. I don’t think they always cause a nuisance, especially with so many families around. But our house is owned by one of my roommates, so it’s a little different.

Q: So you think it depends then, on whether they value that property? If they’re just renters and don’t feel like they have a stake in it, they might be more of a nuisance.

Kelly: Yeah, I think so.

Q: Do you and your roommates do anything specific to try and stay on your neighbors’ good side?

Kelly: Not really. We’re a little on our own because we have our own corner.