Leaving home and living on campus can be a daunting, new experience; this article’s goal is to provide resources to make the transition to on-campus living just a little bit easier.
For those planning on living in the dorms this fall semester, the University of Arizona Housing & Residential Life website has a list of supplies they recommend students bring with them when they move into their dorm rooms.
According to this list, for studying purposes students should bring with them a computer, a printer (wired, not wireless), printer ink, a flashdrive, backpack, school supplies and an Ethernet cable.
For living purposes, important things the list said to bring were dishes, cutlery, water bottle, garbage bags, shower shoes, a towel set, a comforter, a sheet set and a pillow.
UA Housing & Residential Life also encouraged students to be more sustainable by having a green section in the list, which asked students to bring reusable water bottles, bowls, cups, shopping bags, plates and silverware.
If you are planning on living in off-campus housing instead of the dorms, the UA Off-Campus Housing website has provided an Off Campus Housing Guidebook.
This online guidebook helps students with the topics of rent, moving costs, roommates, leasing, security deposits and landlords.
It also gives a comprehensive list of apartments and rental homes.
One of the most important locations for students to know is where to shop for food on campus.
There are three main markets at the UA: the Arizona Market located in the Student Union Memorial Center, the Park Avenue Market located in the Global Center and the Highland Market located on the corner of Sixth Street and Highland Avenue.
Since Jan. 28, Highland Market has been open 24 hours every day of the week.
The on-campus Student Recreation Center is another important resource for many students’ health and wellness. Rec Center memberships are free for all UA students who are currently taking classes in-person.
The Rec Center was originally planning on reopening July 9, but now due to COVID-19 and the closing of all gyms in Arizona, they are unsure when they will reopen.
Ali Santander, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications for UA Housing & Residential Life, said that move-in day for the dorms this fall will look differently than it has in the past.
“Housing will not be providing move-in assistance in an effort to reduce contact between individuals,” Santander said. “We will have rolling cardboard bins and hand trucks available at each dorm to help unload stuff, but families will be strongly encouraged to bring their own to help reduce spread. Just like elsewhere on campus and in Tucson, all individuals will be required to wear a face covering when they are in the dorms. We will have bottled water and COVID-19 supplies like gloves, disinfectant and hand sanitizer available.
Santander also said that UA Housing & Residential Life have been preparing this summer to make the dorms a safe living situation for students during COVID-19.
“In addition to having established new policies and procedures specific to COVID-19, we are also working hard to explore ways staff can build community and support their residents virtually,” Santander said. “Housing has been practicing elevated cleaning protocols for several months and these efforts will also continue. This includes cleaning high-traffic community areas and bathrooms twice daily.”
For a list of changes that have been made to dorms to make them safer for covid-19, visit the UA Housing & Residential Life website.
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