Silhouette

Issue date: 9/14/06 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: CJ Pinkney Approximately 11 x 16 feet of living area is the typical size of the east unit apartment at GCCC with accommmodations of two twin beds and two built-in desks.

Being scolded for coming in after curfew or not leaving a note telling my parents where I'm going or where I've been, made me wonder when I'd get the chance to move out. I'm 18, I can do whatever I want, but since I was under their roof, I was under their rules. Once I move out I won't have to obey their laws, I'll have my own, I told myself. The time finally came when I packed my bags and left home.

I loaded up my clothes, guitar, computer, everything I needed for dorm life. The dorms weren't what I expected, they were spacious and cozy like my old room back home. Hi-speed Internet, compared to my old dial-up at home, was the first thing I celebrated. The wide shelves are perfect for all my books, since I use the drawers for small things like socks and wife beaters. I certainly liked the options I was given to where I wanted to live, a dorm, a unit or an apartment.

The dorms include a hallway that branches off into the single rooms and one single bathroom for that hallway. The units are a step up from the dorms. In my unit there are seven other guys, a two-shower bathroom, an entry/living area where I sit and paint on occasion, and a non-user friendly thermostat. The entry way has a kitchen addition with a microwave, sink, cabinets for plates and cups, and a George Foreman grill.

The apartments are the more practical type of living with a great deal of privacy and many personalization opportunities. Located on the west side of the residential area allows quicker access to the parking lot and student center. The apartments have a two level building with a staircase leading up to the upper level which reminds me of a southern house in deep Alabama. The staircase opens to a short deck where many students throw a couple of chairs to sit and visit. Daily residents can be seen enjoying the weather in the grassy yard between the units and apartments.

It is true that you get what you pay for, the dorms are the cheapest, but there's no modesty if you have to share the shower room with a stranger. The units are the most popular because they act more like a home rather than a dorm. There is more privacy, but there is also more responsibility to keep my area clean, because I do live with others.

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