On Aug. 7, Sarah Gold and her family filled a SUV with a bed comforter, multiple storage boxes and suitcases filled with clothes. After traveling a total of 17 tiring hours from their hometown in Maryland to Gainesville, the Gold family went to work to help Sarah acclimate to her new home at the East Beaty Tower. Posters were hung, decorations were made and once the three other roommates moved in, relationships were created. However in a few weeks, Sarah, along with her roommates and the rest of the residents (including myself) living in the East Beaty Tower, will have to undergo the tedious moving out/moving in process that was just done a month ago due to the infamous overflow housing effect.
Overflow housing is not a new problem at the University of Florida. Every year, the housing department exceeds their limit on accepting housing contracts bringing to rise the dilemma of not having enough rooms for all of the students. As incoming freshmen deposited $200 for their housing contracts, they were not aware that they could possibly be placed in overflow housing. After accepting my placement at the East Beaty Tower, I was not notified for another week that I would be living in overflow housing as the entire hall was reserved for the spring Innovation Academy students.
Most people are usually forced to live in crowded economy triples, but in my case, I was given the opportunity to live at the Beaty Towers. My roommate and I were ecstatic. As we applied before the late applicant deadline, we expected to have permanent residence and a guaranteed room. However hopes were disappointed as we received an email a week later “congratulating” us on being selected for overflow housing. The email entailed that we were going to have two options regarding our moving out.
Every Friday until October, the Beaty East residents will receive an email providing their new housing information. Then each resident will have up to 72 hours to move. Rooms are supposed to open, but if that’s not the case, then overflow-housing students will have to live off campus. The second option would allow the resident to stay the entire semester and then move in December. Even though both options seem simple and non-complex, it’s quite the opposite. Most students have not received emails consequently eliminating their choice of moving before December. So far, only 40 students have been provided with a new room. If a student stays until December, he or she will have to remove all of their belongings back home during Christmas break or transfer all their things to their new room on Dec. 15.
To stir the pot even more, Beaty Housing has recently announced that the thirteenth floor of the East Tower will not be affected by overflow housing.
To be fair, some students are actually not complaining about this seemingly annoying situation. “I see it as a way to get a fresh start because right now, I’m not a fan of my roommates or living situation,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous.
After creating a daily routine and making memorable experiences with my roommates, I’m personally extremely frustrated that I’ll have to find a new home and start from the beginning. Even though there are some cases where the student wishes to leave Beaty due to high rent or issues with a roommate, overflow housing is a problem and should be resolved.
