You’re coming to Colorado! CU Boulder rests at the end of your travel itinerary, but where will you rest once you get here? Do not put off finding housing any longer. A first-year Freshman is required to live in the residence halls, but options can be limited, especially if you are interested in a specific type of housing. Take time now to consider these top five tips for the first-year student housing application and imagine what your day may look like when you are not sitting in class:
Tip 1: Apply early – right after reading this article would be good. Most room types are for two people and bathrooms are shared by a larger community. While you may not be able to stash your toothbrush right next to the sink, a helpful team of professionals are keeping the bathroom clean for you and your neighbors. Specialty room types like apartments and individual spaces fill up fast. Additionally, some buildings have academic eligibility requirements based on your college. The earlier you submit your housing application, the earlier you will learn what your hall assignment is. Check out this helpful timeline to learn more about when you’ll find out where you are living next Fall: Application Timeline. Pro Tip: If you have questions, give the Student Housing Office a call or email if you want to discuss what options might be best for you. Phone: 1.303.492.6673 or StudentHousing@colorado.edu
Tip 2: Take a deep breath and check your expectations. We are unable to guarantee preferences when you fill out your application. Even with early applications, there are many factors our skilled assignments team must consider as they are placing students in rooms. Fortunately, every hall has a lot of good stuff going on and you’ll find themed activities and opportunities to develop academic success skills in all our buildings. We do our best to help everyone get what they want, but recognize that success comes with adaptability. “The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” Okakura, Kakuzō.
Tip 3: Get to know that person in the room with you. Whether you are planning on sharing a room with your best friend or a complete stranger, spend some time this summer talking about yourself and learning about them. Decide who is bringing the TV. You don’t need two. I mean really, you don’t need one and perhaps you can come to that agreement. Reach out as soon as you can to say hi and talk about how you want to share the room, when you want to study, if you plan on sleeping – you know, the important stuff!
Tip 4: Know the bus. Use the bus. Our campus at CU Boulder is big, spanning approximately 2 miles with academic buildings and residential housing spread out across multiple neighborhoods. All students need to plan for a 15-20 minute walking or shuttle commute. Biking, boarding and scootering are popular forms of transportation, but cold weather and high altitudes might slow some students down. Fortunately, the Buff Bus is a free service between Williams Village, central campus, and east campus. Additionally, every student receives an RTD pass serving all of Boulder and the greater Denver area. Pro tip: The RTD pass also takes you on an express bus from CU Boulder directly to the Denver International Airport!
Tip 5: Know yourself through knowing others. You will hear the phrase “get involved!” many times during campus welcome events. But what does that mean and why?! It is especially true for anyone travelling abroad that the more they learn about others’ perspectives and culture, they more they will understand about their own. Not only will getting involved expand your knowledge of how this community works, you will establish friendships and mentorships that can support you for your entire college career. I understand how exhausting it may be to speak a second language in a strange place, but try to mix it up a bit while still recognizing what your personal needs are and how to meet them. Pro Tip: Living in the residence halls provides numerous opportunities to meet others in both structured and unstructured settings. Check out our own Get Involved page and click on “Residence Hall Experiences” for more info on what happens in the halls.
“Written by CU Boulder Residence Life”