SMU’s new residential halls might exacerbate parking problems on campus. (Courtesy of SMU)

Their sophomore year, Southern Methodist University students are given the choice to live on or off campus.

On the first day of class, sophomore Morgan Siewert, who lives in the BLVD apartment complex on SMU Boulevard, frantically searched for a parking spot in the Binkley parking garage.

“Most mornings I have to leave my apartment twenty minutes before my class starts so that I can find parking and then walk to class from there,” Siewert said.

Siewert said she sometimes envies those living in Virginia-Snider Residence Hall or in an on-campus Greek house who get to calmly meander to class. Many students chose to stay on campus after their freshman to avoid the inconvenience of commuting. Senior Resident Assistant Travis Miller has lived in McElvaney Hall since his freshman year. He said he loves being on campus now as much as he did then.

“Living on campus is awesome. It couldn’t be more convenient,” Miller said.

Only four of the 15 residence halls on campus are restricted to first-year students. Beyond the dorms, there are sorority and fraternity houses open to students who join the Greek community. These housing options provide upperclassmen the opportunity to live on campus.

“There seem to be a lot of cool apartments off campus, but I’m enjoying living in McElvaney and think I want to stay on campus next year. Buying furniture for an apartment would be expensive and somewhat of a hassle,” freshman Harrison Gamble, said.

Furnishing an apartment, paying rent and electric bill and gas money can all add up when living off campus. Siewert admits her spending has increased a lot since moving off campus, but she also said the pros of living off campus still greatly outweigh the cons.

“It is so nice to have a more spacious place to live. I can entertain guests without having to have them squeeze onto my tiny futon beneath my bunk bed in the dorm room. I feel more grown up and independent,” Siewert said.

Starting in fall 2014 sophomore students will be required to live on campus. New Residential Commons, including five residence halls, a dining hall and parking garage, are being built to accommodate sophomore students forced to stay on campus. Miller said bringing sophomores back to campus is a step in the right direction.

“The new Residence Commons will help instill a greater sense of community on campus and a greater pride for SMU, both of which we’re lacking. I think it will be great,” Miller said.

For now sophomores still have the choice to live on or off campus, but in two years, the decision will be made for them.
SMU is expanding its campus to houses all underclassmen. It will also institute a two year on campus housing requirement.